Success lives here

Tasmania's rising star Mystic Journey (pic: Tasracing)

Any trainer or buyer who considers themselves a good judge should get themselves to the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale on February 25 in Launceston. This great type sale is an excellent place to hone one's knowledge and find a classy racehorse by concentrating solely on the athlete. With an average sale price of under $30,000, there are many bargains to be had, and the extensive graduate list for this sale tells the story of those who can pick a good one.

One syndicator clearly capable of finding exceptional future performers is Star Thoroughbreds' Denise Martin, purchaser of February's Gr3 Hobart Cup winner Eastender for just $22,000 from this sale. She also found exciting locally-bred 2YO Leroche (Needs Further) at last year's Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale for $61,000.

Gr1 winner and sire Palentino obviously stood out as a yearling, making $85,000, and he went on to win the Gr1 Australian Guineas and Gr1 Makybe Diva Stakes. With a little bit more luck, his impressive record could have been even better. Now at stud, the strapping son of Teofilo demonstrates how the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale is the perfect hunting ground for excellent judges of horse flesh. Other top class graduates include the punter’s front-running friend The Cleaner, sold at this sale for $10,000 and earner of $1.3 million from his nineteen win career. Other group winning graduates include Triple Asset, Genuine Lad and stakes-winners Hot Dipped, Jerilderie Letter, Pateena Arena, Tiesto, and this season’s 2YO stakes winner Mystical Pursuit (Needs Further).

As good as Mystical Pursuit clearly is, his close relation and fellow Magic Millions Tasmanian Sale graduate, Mystic Journey, is the latest Tasmanian galloper to make life difficult for the mainland's top echelon performers. Now outright favourite for the upcoming Gr1 Australian Guineas at Flemington after a jaw-dropping victory in Hobart's Listed Magic Millions Thomas Lyons, Mystic Journey has already succesfully raided Melbourne, winning both the Gr2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic and Listed Jim Moloney Stakes at Caulfield.

The 2019 catalogue for the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale includes 142 lots by 68 different sires such as boom 2YO sire Better Than Ready, Dundeel, local emerging star Needs Further, Reset, Smart Missile, and eleven sires whose eldest crops are yearlings.