With auction company director Barry Bowditch excited about a “much deeper” catalog than in 2025, the consensus is that more high-quality lots have been held for sale at home by Tasmanian breeders this year, rather than being offered on the mainland.
This is expected to lead to an increase in interstate interest, while it is also suggested that sales will reflect a rise in confidence in the industry among locals.
Tasmania’s leading breeder, Armidale Stud, will offer not one, but two three-quarter sisters to the outstanding Mystic Journey, who was bought at auction for AU$11,000 before winning AU$4.1 million in prize money, including the inaugural All-Star Mile, en route to a multi-million dollar sale as a broodmare to Japan.
Boutique breeders Alva Stud are offering just three lots, one of which is a half-brother Rubik to Still A Star, in lot 11. Bought at the Launceston auction for AU$13,000, the mare won seven stakes races, including two in Melbourne, and almost AU$900,000 in prize money, before fetching AU$700,000 as a broodmare.
Geegees Blackflash became the first horse to earn seven figures (AU$1.19 million) from prize money racing purely in Tasmania, where he won 22 races until 2016, including six at stakes level. Armidale will offer his half-brother Needs further as lot 108.
And Durazzo has become a modern hero thanks to some strong Tasmanian connections, where he is played by Denise Martin, the ex-Launcestonian boss of Star Thoroughbreds, after she bought him at the 2022 sale for AU$97,500. The 5-year-old has won 11 of 16, claimed three of his four stakes wins on the bounce late last year, and has earned more than AU$600,000 in prize money.
Armidale offers Durazzo’s half-sister by Newgate Farm sire Cheeky as lot 70.
Sales in Tasmania hit the doldrums last year amid some market concerns after a sketchy start to the selling season in Australasia. While the clearance rate ultimately stood at 75%, compared to 72.87% in 2024, the average fell from almost AU$30,000 to AU$23,500, while the median fell from AU$24,000 to AU$19,000.
The gross price plummeted from AU$2.82 million to AU$1.97 million, a drop of a third, while the number of lots sold (84) fell by just 10.6%. The top lot raised AU$80,000, up from AU$145,000 the year before.
There appears to be a return of a degree of guarded optimism among Tasmanian sellers that this year’s sales will bring a recovery. That is partly based on satisfactory to strong results at the first four auctions of the Australasian season – Magic Millions Gold Coast and Perth, Karaka and Inglis Classic – but also on the feel of the sales area over the past few days of inspections.
“There are more people from the mainland this year than last year,” said Armidale managing director David Whishaw.
“Magic Millions has worked hard to bring diversity to the sales bench, and hopefully we’ll see that reflected in the sales ring on Monday.
A total of 125 lots have been cataloged – one fewer than last year – for the one-day sale, which starts at 11am.
Whishaw said he was “confident the good horses will find their mark”, while acknowledging a range of issues for the industry in Tasmania, including the body’s battered reputation for racing integrity, and fears surrounding a 20-year government funding deal expiring in 2029.
“I think sales continues to do a great job and produce graduates,” Whishaw said. “Our farm alone has produced eight winners in the last 12 months.”
Whishaw’s optimism was outweighed by Bowditch’s confidence that sales would recover this year, driven by all-important mainland interest and the greater number of topline lots held for sale in Tasmania this year rather than sent north to Bass Strait.
“We have had a disappointing sale in 2025, but I am confident we will have a better line-up of horses this year,” said Bowditch, who tipped on average “over AU$30,000.”
“The pedigrees on offer and the quality of horses on offer at the top this year exceed what we had last year and that should attract good interest from the mainland.”
Armidale’s 27 lots are led by their two three-quarter sisters by Mystic Journey and her mother Needs Further, who is listed at AU$5,500, and from daughters of the super mare’s mother, White Gold.
Lot 26 is a beautiful richly colored bay filly out of the unraced Oh So Gold, who has had four winners from as many runners, including this filly’s sister, Mystical Pursuit, who won two Tasmanian events and placed in two others.
“This filly stands out: a ripping, big and strong type,” Whishaw said. “The mare is four out of four, and this is the best type she has thrown, so I expect she will have a lot of interest.”
And Lot 112 – from Mystic Journey’s co-breeders Ralph and Peter Zito – is another muscular filly out of Gold Phoenix, a Launceston winner over 1220 metres. Her brother Orovero has won twice at the Victorian provincials for Mick Kent and ran a second by 0.02 length in a Caulfield Heath Benchmark 74 last Wednesday.
“She is very typical of the family and is a kind and athletic type,” Whishaw said.
Tasmania’s other major farm, Grenville Stud, has a depth of 21 lots, highlighted by Lot 85, a filly that is the only yearling sold by Coolmore’s handsome first-season sire. Home Affairs. The chestnut comes from a half-sister of the New Zealand group 1 winner Signify.
Northeast Tasmania’s Motree Thoroughbreds offers 25 yearlings from a wide range of stallions, including Lot 125, a filly by Darley’s debutant sire Paulwhose three-time winning dam is a sister to dual stakes winner Deroche.
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