Arrowfield colts make Magic
The owners of Arrowfield Magic Millions graduate Hitotsu celebrate three marvellous Group 1 Classic victories, $3.1 million prizemoney and the bonus value of a highly desirable stallion prospect.
Straordinario!
Senza Precedenti!
Bellissimo!
These are the words that come to mind for owners Wendy & Italian-born Ottavio Galletta when they think of their Group 1-winning colt Profondo, bought from Arrowfield’s 2020 Magic Millions draft.
Similar emotions are no doubt felt by the owners of Tagaloa, Invader & Hitotsu, who complete an imposing quartet of Group 1-winning colts – more than any other vendor – purchased from Arrowfield at Magic Millions since 2016.
They are part of a spectacular history of Arrowfield-bred-&-sold colts that become hot stallion prospects and successful sires – think Flying Spur & Danzero, Not A Single Doubt & Beneteau, leading young South African sire Rafeef, Alabama Express, Pariah & The Autumn Sun, Super Seth & Castelvecchio.
Arrowfield’s Magical Group 1-winning colts
Profondo did indeed prove to be extraordinary and almost without precedent, winning his Sydney debut and finishing a close second in the Gloaming S. G3 before a stunning Spring Champion S. G1 victory at only his third start.
Profondo’s good looks and globally recognised pedigree – as the son of Deep Impact and the Group-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Honesty Prevails – explain the competition for him as a yearling that resulted in a sale-topping $1.9 million price.
Yes, the experience of racing a colt like this can be, in the Gallettas’ words, sfidante (challenging) as well as eccitante and emozianante (exciting & emotional).
But it remains the holy grail for many yearling buyers, seeking the thrill of racing a superlative colt in Australia’s new and historic races, and the possibility of selling him as a stallion prospect.
Arrowfield at Magic Millions is a consistently lucrative source of the big colts that light up the track, and the eyes of studs needing fresh talent for their rosters.
And the big colts don’t always require a big budget.
In the same 2020 draft as Profondo, trainer Wendy Kelly’s husband Kevin found Hitotsu (Maurice-Love Is Fickle by Redoute’s Choice) and purchased him for $100,000 on behalf of stable clients Kevin & Vikki Payne.
Spotted by the Maher & Eustace stable after three promising, but unplaced runs in 2YO Group company, Hitotsu was sold for a substantially higher price to a powerful group of owners headed by Ozzie Kheir & John O’Neill, with the Paynes retaining a major share-holding.
Hitotsu proceeded to win the Victoria Derby G1, Australian Guineas G1 and Australian Derby G1 in successive starts, earning $3.1 million and making him one of the most desirable stallion prospects in Australia.
At Magic Millions 2019 trainers Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young could not take their eyes off Arrowfield’s Lord Kanaloa-Vasilissa colt and were all smiles when their bid of $300,000 was enough to buy him.
Ten months later he made his Group-placed debut as Tagaloa, and at start number 4 became Arrowfield’s third graduate winner of the Blue Diamond S. G1. Retired in 2021 with $1.4 million prizemoney after a subsequent Group 3 win and Australian Guineas G1 third, Tagaloa joined the Yulong Stud roster at a $30,000 fee, covering 148 mares in his first book.
In 2016 China Horse Club spent $6.7 million on 19 colts at the Gold Coast and found their diamond in Arrowfield’s Lot 228, a stylish chestnut son of Snitzel & Flame of Sydney secured for $475,000.
Named Invader, he made history when leading home a Snitzel-sired trifecta in the 2017 Inglis Sires’ Produce S. G1. He retired to Aquis Farm as the joint Champion 2YO Colt of his generation, serving 500 mares in his first four seasons at fees of $20,000 & $25,000 and selling his first yearlings up to $550,000 in 2021.
Dual Group 2 winner & twice Group 1-placed Showtime and Group-winning 3YO sprinter Anders, bought respectively for $1.1 million in 2016 & $670,000 in 2019, prove that commercial stud opportunities for Arrowfield’s Magic Millions colts aren’t limited to Group 1 winners.
Arrowfield’s 2023 Magic Millions consignment includes 37 coltsby Champion Sires Snitzel & Written Tycoon, Group 1 sires Dundeel & Shalaa, 5-time Group 1 winner The Autumn Sun, Showtime, Pariah, Trapeze Artist and newcomer Castelvecchio.
