Superstar Legarto Tops Buoyant Broodmare Opener At Magic Millions

by TTR AusNZ/Kit Gow/Dane McLeod

The market was hungry for racing talent coming off the track, and the first day of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale delivered that in droves, with the clearance rate soaring past the equivalent time in the 2025 edition. Five-time Group 1 winner Legarto was the star of the show, selling for A$2.8 million early in the session.

At A Glance

• Clearance for Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale improved to 85% (81%), while the aggregate decreased to A$34,154,500, down from 2025 (A$47.5 million) and 2024 (A$51.7 million). There were 177 horses catalogued on the first day (down from 204 in 2025), including supplementary entries and four stallion shares.
• The average was down at A$249,303 (A$363,164), while the median decreased in 2026 to A$110,000 (A$160,000).
• In 2026, seven lots sold for A$1 million or more, down from 14 last year and from nine in 2024.
• The top lot at A$2.8 million was Legarto (Proisir) who was bought by Yulong's Devil Night Syndicate.
• Top Buyers: Katsumi Yoshida was the day's top buyer by gross, spending A$3.4 million on three mares. He was also the leading buyer by average with the three mares averaging A$1.13 million.
• Top Vendors: Newgate Consignment headed the vendors by aggregate, selling 17 lots for A$7.065 million. By average (two or more sold), Yarraman Park Stud finished the day with six lots sold for an average of A$811,667.
• Top Sire: Snitzel led the stallions by gross with A$3.4 million from six lots. Proisir topped the averages chart with two sold at an average of A$1.43 million.

Lot 408 – Legarto (Proisir x Geordie Girl {Towkay}) – A$2,800,000 to the Devil Night Syndicate

She profiled as one of the headline acts of the sale and that proved exactly the case, with Legarto (Proisir) selling for A$2,800,000 to Yulong, bidding under the Devil Night Syndicate banner, from the Attunga draft.

A powerful-looking mare and a five-time Group 1 winner across both sides of the Tasman, Legarto won the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas and G1 Australian Guineas over a mile as a 3-year-old before stepping up to claim a further three Group 1 victories at weight-for-age level over 2000 metres in New Zealand.

One of six Group 1 winners among Proisir's 24 stakes winners, Legarto amassed 12 wins and more than NZ$3.15 million in prize-money during her 24-start career.

Yulong's Jun Zhang said Legarto stood out as the premier mare of the sale and revealed the team 'fell in love with her' from the first inspection.

“She's the mare of the whole sale and we love her, we fell in love with her when we first saw her,” Zhang said.

Zhang added that the mare would support Yulong's growing stallion roster and indicated she would likely visit Segenhoe stallions Devil Night or Private Harry.

“We're going to put her to Segenhoe. We purchased Segenhoe and we need some very elite mares to support our stallions, Devil Night or Private Harry.”

Despite the significant price tag, Zhang said mares of Legarto's calibre are difficult to value.

“Every mare is very special, so we can't put any price tag on them. I think she was the one and we had to get her.”

Lot 454 – Snitzanova (Snitzel x Albanilla {Galileo) – A$1,800,000 to the Private Harry Syndicate

A Group-winning mare by champion sire Snitzel and backed by a world-class international pedigree, Snitzanova always loomed as one of the more appealing offerings of the sale.

Yulong, bidding under the Private Harry Syndicate banner, secured the mare for A$1,800,000 from the Ciaron Maher Racing draft, offered as agent for Bennett Racing.

Snitzanova was originally purchased by Bennett Racing for A$200,000 from Arrowfield Stud's draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She has since proven a tremendous return on investment, winning just over A$1,000,000 on the track, highlighted by victories in the G2 Sandown Guineas, G3 Spring Stakes and the A$1 million Magic Millions Trophy over 2200 metres earlier this year.

Her unraced dam Albanilla (Galileo) is closely related to Champion European 3-year-old stayer Eldar Eldarov (Dubawi) and Champion Older Female in Europe Alpinista (Frankel), the six-time Group 1 winner who captured the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Bennett Racing's Nathan Bennett admitted the result was nerve-wracking once bidding climbed beyond the million-dollar mark, though he felt the mare justified her final price.

“I thought she was probably worth that. She's a pretty good mare and can still race on,” Bennett said.

“Nerve-wracking. Once you get into the million mark you're hoping for another bid here and there and we were lucky enough to get a few.”

Bennett said the result represented a huge outcome for the ownership group, who purchased the mare for A$200,000 before she went on to earn more than A$1 million on the track and another A$1.8 million in the ring.

“It's a huge turnaround for the owners. They paid A$200,000 for her as a yearling and then for her to go on and win over A$1 million on the track and produce A$1.8 million in the ring is a huge result.

“I'm just stoked for all the owners involved and that they've got a good payday.”

Lot 465 – Stretan Angel (Harry Angel x Sretan {Bernardini) – A$1,600,000 to Arrowfield Stud

Stretan Angel, the classy daughter of Harry Angel (Ire), sold for A$1,600,000 to Arrowfield Stud from the Yarraman Park Stud draft.

A multiple stakes winner, she scored twice at Group 2 and Listed level and finished in the top four at Group 1 level on five separate occasions.

Alongside her racetrack ability, Stretan Angel boasts a current and fast-rising pedigree. She is a half-sister to this season's G2 Silver Slipper Stakes winner Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler), who also placed in both the G2 Todman Stakes and Listed Merson Cooper Stakes.

The family continues to gain momentum, with additional stakes performers including Alegron (Teofilo), Pure Joy (Fusaichi Pegasus) and Fravashi.

Commercially, the pedigree is also thriving. Sretan's yearling colt by Harry Angel, a full-brother to Stretan Angel, sold for A$540,000 from the Kirks Bridge Farm draft to Equine Growth Fund, Blueblood Thoroughbreds and SP Bloodstock at the 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Arrowfield principal John Messara said the mare appealed on every level, from pedigree and physique through to racetrack performance.

“I liked everything about her. I liked the pedigree. I like the way she looked. I had a good look at her, and I liked her performance,” Messara said.

Messara highlighted her elite sprinting performances at the highest level and revealed she had been specifically targeted for The Autumn Sun.

“A three-times Group 1 placed mare in the best races – the Goodwood, the Newmarket, Lightning Stakes, those sort of races.

“She'll suit our horse, The Autumn Sun, perfectly. We're buying mares to suit the horses that we've got and that mare we bought for that purpose. She's straight off to The Autumn Sun.”

 Lot 411 – Lilac (Justify x Paulownia {Fastnet Rock}) – A$1,500,000 to Katsumi Yoshida

Lilac (Justify) has been a terrific filly for Champion Thoroughbreds and partners, delivering victories in the G3 James HB Carr Stakes and Listed Jim Moloney Stakes while earning more than A$385,000 in prize-money.

She continued to reward connections in the sales ring, selling for A$1,500,000 to Katsumi Yoshida from the Yarraman Park Stud draft.

The beautifully bred mare is out of the Group 2-placed Paulownia (Fastnet Rock), a full-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Foxwedge and Listed winner She's A Fox (Fastnet Rock).

Yarraman Park Stud's Matt Scown was delighted with the result.

“She was popular all week, seven figures is always a dream result, and to go to Shingo (Hashimoto) on behalf of Northern farm's is just amazing.”

Lot 428 – O' Ole (Ole Kirk x Vellor {Sepoy}) – A$1,500,000 to Katsumi Yoshida

Early 2-year-old speed is always highly sought after in the Australian market and this is exactly what O'Ole (Ole Kirk) brought to the table.

The R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner sold for A$1,500,000 to Katsumi Yoshida from the Attunga Stud draft. Her juvenile resume also included victory in the R. Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic and a placing in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on debut.

Beyond her racetrack ability, O' Ole also carries a strong pedigree.

She is out of dual winner Vellor (Sepoy), a half-sister to G2 Magic Night Stakes winner and Group 1 placegetter Altar (Commands), while her granddam Hosannah (Octagonal) was a four-time Group winner and Group 1 placegetter.

Katsumi Yoshida's representative Shingo Hashimoto said the mare's physical appeal was the first thing that captured their attention, before her juvenile racetrack performances further elevated her profile.

“We really liked how she looks, so that came first, and the way she performed at the Magic Millions 2YO race was fantastic, so we really liked her,” Hashimoto said.