PR Thoroughbreds Snare Three Quality Colts at Magic Millions

At the conclusion of the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sale the PR Thoroughbreds team were delighted to come away with three quality colts from the first major Australasian yearling sale of 2025.  Pre-sale predictions across the industry hinted at strong competition towards the top of the market and so it transpired. 

Whenever a colt with a strong pedigree together with a great physical type entered the ring the major players appeared to step up.  On multiple occasions Rob and Mark were consigned to the underappreciated role of under-bidder.  However by the time the sale was completed the team were delighted to come away with two of their top picks for the sale. 

Lot 369 GUN RUNNER x ESTIJAAB by SNITZEL. $500,000 from Emirates Park.

G1 Golden Slipper winner ESTIJAAB was sent to Kentucky to be mated with American sire sensation Gun Runner in 2023.  The result was a very attractive athletic chestnut colt who was foaled at Emirates Park in October 2023.  Gun Runner's statistics as a sire are simply remarkable.  he has sired 10 Grade 1 winners from a touch over 300 runners at a remarkable rate of over 3.1%.  From his first crop he produced six Grade 1 winners who were successful as 2yo, as 3yos and who trained on as older horses.  He stands at Three Chimneys for US$225,000.

The dam of this colt ESTIJAAB was the stand out 2yo of her year, winning the G2 Reisling Stakes before dominating Australia's premium 2yo race, the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes.  Already the dam of 2yo winner and stakes performer Ejaabiyah in the UK from just 2 foals Estijaab is herself the daughter of dual Group One winner RESPONSE (by Charge Forward) making this colt a rare commodity in the largest yearling catalogue of 2025.

Physically this colt has it all, correct, strong top line, beatuiful balance, a great walk and each time he was inspected by the team he did so professionally despite any activity around him.  Both Mark and Rob had him in their top 4 picks of the sale and were both surprised and delighted to get him for $500,000. 

Mark commented "We all know that the best Snitzel's are out of fast American mares.  When we analaysed this colt's pedigree it was clear that we were buying on the reverse cross, the best American sire covering the fastest Snitzel mare of her generation.  For us he was the complete package".

LOT 792 OLE KIRK x POP GIRL by SNITZEL. $700,000 from North Bloodstock.

With stunning success from his first crop of runners OLE KIRK was always going to be a popular sire at this sale.  When Rob visited the Hunter Valley in December 2024 to go through some of the drafts he was quickly on the phone to Mark to say "I have found an outstanding Ole Kirk colt at North Bloodstock.  He has a super walk, a great attitude and is the best Ole Kirk yearling that I have seen". 

As it transpired at the sale the team started their inspections at North Bloodstock and the first colt that was led out was the Pop Girl colt.  It was clear that a benchmark had been set as this colt is a great mover and each time he was inspected he again showed that he was one of if not the best moving colts in the catalogue. 

Out of a three time winning Snitzel mare this colt proved to be very popular int he ring with the team having to stretch to $700,000 to get him, making him the top priced Ole Kirk of the sale. 

LOT 840 WRITTEN TYCOON x RHAENYS by REDOUTE'S CHOICE. $400,000 from Arrowfield Stud.

Champion Australian Sire WRITTEN TYCOON has continued to defy his age and produced more elite performers as he got older.  He has received tremendous support at stud in later years and the quality of mares that he ahs covered continued to improve as well.  His current crop of yearlings included RHAENYS, a half sister to six time Group One winner and Champion Middle Distance Male in Australia and New Zealand DUNDEEL. 

This short coupled, athletic colt is a very good mover.  He is strong with a deep girth, terrific hip and hind quarters.  Rob and Mark commented that "he has a lovely rich coat and looked a real classic type of colt.  We didn't have a lot of wriggle room left int he budget but we waited for this colt to come through and we were delighted when the hammer came down in our favour at $400,000.  Arrowfield Stud has been one of the leading producers of Group One winners and high quality thoroughbreds for many years and buying a quality classic colt like Lot 840 fitted in with our strategy completely".

At this sale we spent even more time with our veterinarian Dr Johnny Walker and we focussed on ensuring that the colts we were going to bid on were rated Grade I throats and Low Risk X-Rays but also met or exceeded some other parameters that we have identified. 

The colts have been transported back to Victoria and will have a short break at Noorilim Park before heading to the breaker before the end of the month.  They will be allocated to their trainers after the 2025 Easter Sale.