Where Magic Meets Greatness
Hitotsu’s story is the perfect starting-point for this preview of the 55 Magic Millions 2026 yearlings offered by Arrowfield – the source of more Group 1 winners than any other Magic Millions Gold Coast vendor since 1998.
That’s because Hitotsu was himself an Arrowfield Magic Millions graduate, purchased in 2020 for $100,000 by Kevin Kelly for owners Kevin & Vikki Payne.
His 2YO performances in Group company caught the eye of the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable which subsequently secured majority ownership of him for a powerful group of clients led by Ozzie Kheir & John O’Neill.
The son of Maurice and the Redoute’s Choice mare Love Is Fickle progressed rapidly to make history as a 3YO with three consecutive victories: the Victoria Derby G1 in the Spring, the Australian Guineas G1 in the late Summer and the Australian Derby G1 in the Autumn.
He then returned as a stallion to Arrowfield, following the path taken by star graduates and sires The Autumn Sun, Castelvecchio, Not A Single Doubt (also a Magic Millions graduate), Danzero & Flying Spur.
And now in 2026 the circle turns as Hitotsu’s first-crop yearlings make their debut at Magic Millions, nine of them offered by Arrowfield.
Hitotsu is one of 5 commercially active stallions originally purchased from Arrowfield at Magic Millions 2019-24, a list that includes Blue Diamond G1 winner Tagaloa (sire of two Group-winning 3YOs from his first crop), Profondo (Spring Champion S. G1) and Private Life (Caulfield Guineas G1).
That Group 1 graduate record has been extended this season by the brilliant sprinter Baraqiel (Snitzel-Angel Of Mercy), winner of the Moir S. G1 and second in the Manikato S. G1 at The Valley.
A $150,000 purchase for Bennett Racing from Arrowfield’s 2020 Magic Millions draft, Baraqiel has now won eight of his 13 starts from the Corstens & Larkin stable, for prizemoney of almost $1.5 million.
The Bennett Racing team has also enjoyed conspicuous success with the Ciaron Maher-trained Snitzanova (Snitzel-Albanilla), a two-time Group winner and $400,000 earner from her first six starts. She was a $200,000 buy from Arrowfield’s 2023 Magic Millions draft.
Hitotsu is one of 5 stallions sold as yearlings by Arrowfield at Magic Millions Gold Coast, 2019-24
Photos: Bronwen Healy, Darren Tindale & Joan Faras
Another 8 graduates of Arrowfield’s barns at Magic Millions have posted stakes victories in 2025.
The filly Lazzura (Snitzel-Laguna Azzurra) is proving to be a super-consistent competitor in quality company, winning the Phar Lap S. G2, Let’s Elope S. G2 & Show County Quality G3 to return almost $1 million on the $500,000 that B2B Thoroughbreds outlaid for her.
A quartet of colts, Beadman, Blitzburg, Skyhook (all winners of 2YO Group races) & Shangri La Spring (Frank Packer Plate G3) have already earned more than $1.3 million for their owners.
In New Zealand, Te Akau Racing’s 3YO filly Origin Of Love (Snitzel-Re Edit) scored a hard-fought win in October’s War Decree S. G3 at Riccarton.
Class of 2022 graduate Matusalem (The Autumn Sun-Miss Dodwell) won last season’s Albury Cup LR from the Chris Waller stable and, all going well, will be in action on the Magic Millions Gold Coast Raceday on 17 January 2026.
And Comanche Miss (Castelvecchio-Ocean Challenger) defied her passed-in status at Magic Millions with an Adelaide Listed win that has earned her a place in Arrowfield’s broodmare band.
In all, 26 stakeswinners, including five Group 1 winners, from Magic Millions 2019-24 carry the Arrowfield brand.
Add the collective 2025 record (to 30 November) of the Stud’s Group 1 sires Dundeel, Maurice, The Autumn Sun, Castelvecchio and legendary Champion Sire Snitzel: 41 stakeswinners, 9 Group 1 winners and almost $90 million prizemoney, and it’s clear why Barns R, S, T & U will be compulsory stops for every serious yearling buyer in January.
