America’s Hill ‘n’ Dale makes ‘significant’ A$1.7 million investment at Magic Millions

Antony Thompson believes the decision by leading US stud Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms to invest in the Australian yearling market for the first time will make industry figures from around the world sit up and take notice. 

The Widden principal made the statement after selling “one of the fillies of the year” – the I Am Invincible first foal out of high-class mare Madam Rouge – for A$1.7 million (£895,000/€1.04m) to Hill ‘n’ Dale owner John Sikura, the renowned American breeder’s maiden foray down under.

The flawless filly was one of five million-dollar lots sold on the fourth day of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, a session that was significant in many ways.

Sikura, represented at the sale by his son Jes, teamed up with agent William Johnson, the filly’s new trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds’ Bruce Slade.

“I think the bloodstock world looks at what John Sikura does and really pays attention,” said Thompson. 

“He’s one of the smartest guys in the industry. He’s astute in every way; he’s thorough, he’s very knowledgeable and well-researched, and it’s lovely to see them [Hill ‘n’ Dale] putting their toe in the water in the Australian market like this. 

“That’s fairly significant and I think a lot of people will sit up and take note.”

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch echoed Thompson’s thoughts about the investment in a high-class filly by Sikura.

The session-topping I Am Invincible filly out of Madam Rouge is attended to at Magic MillionsCredit: Magic Millions

“Jes Sikura has become a great friend of Magic Millions and I consider his father one of the best breeders in the world,” said Bowditch.

“For them to want to spend money here is, what I consider, a great honour.”

In 2014, Sikura snr bought Redoute’s Choice’s half-sister Taste Of Heaven out of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for A$1.5m. The experiment produced Heavenly Curlin, a Canadian Grade 3-winning filly by Hill ‘n’ Dale sire Curlin, who brought $625,000 when purchased by Justin Casse out of the Hill ‘n’ Dale draft at the Keenelend September in 2016. 

Jes Sikura admitted he initially had no plans of buying a filly at the Gold Coast.

“We really didn’t have too much intention to get involved in anything when we came over here but I have to give complete credit to Will Johnson,” he said.

“He’s always at the top of his game, he finds the nicest horses in every sale and it wouldn’t have happened without him, especially without Gai and Adrian putting together such a good group.”

Johnson said “everything about her was special”.

“She paraded herself beautifully all week, she’s got the size and strength of those good fillies,” he said. “She’s in the mould of her mother, you think of a Sunlight or a Loving Gaby, she really fills the frame. 

“John Sikura, Jes’s dad, said, ‘If there’s something really special let me know’. I quickly texted Jes earlier in the week and said just look at [Lot] 900 and we’ll see what Gai thinks.

“Adrian and Gai have put together a great partnership with some of the stable clients to come in alongside Hill ‘N’ Dale and hopefully she can grace the turf of the Gold Coast over the next couple of seasons and hopefully go onto bigger things at Group 1 level.

“With that residual value she’s going to have beautiful progeny, so she’s the complete package.”

The session-topping I Am Invincible filly, bred by Widden and partners, was one of three million-dollar yearlings signed for by Waterhouse and Bott on day four.

Twenty-two seven-figure yearlings feature on the 2024 results sheet – the most ever sold at one sale conducted by Magic Millions in its almost four-decade history.

Madam Rouge, who was bred by Widden Stud and Geoff Evers, was bought back by Thompson and partners for A$2.4m at the 2022 Magic Millions National Sale, carrying the impressive filly.

A daughter of stakes winner Cabernet, Madam Rouge won three stakes races and six times overall in 35 starts. She was also Group 1-placed and, arguably, could have won at the highest level but for bad luck in key races.

“As Clint said when we were selling her, she’s one of the fillies of the year and we certainly felt she was,” said Thompson, referring to auctioneer Clint Donovan, who shushed the auditorium prior to calling for an opening bid. 

“She had been much-admired. She was a stunning first foal. I guess the blue-chip stock is always blue-chip stock and she was certainly that.”

Bott on Justify colt's A$1.3 million price tag 

Armed with Justify’s ruling Magic Millions 2YO Classic favourite Storm Boy, Waterhouse and Bott loaded up again on another colt by the imposing Coolmore shuttler, this time paying A$1.3m for the first living foal out of dual Group 3 winner and Coolmore Stud Stakes runner-up Invincible Star.

The trainers’ agent, Slade, also signed the docket for the Coolmore-consigned colt, who was sold as lot 795.

“We know mum very well and we’re starting to get to know a little bit about the progeny of dad as well, with Storm Boy going into the Magic Millions,” said Bott.

The Justify colt out of dual Group 3 winner Invincible Star sells to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for A$1.3 millionCredit: Magic Millions

“Invincible Star was such a sharp horse, we had her and she won the first time of asking up the straight at Flemington – she was so quick – and we had her lined up for an Everest at one point and she just went down a nose in the Coolmore.

“She was the fastest filly of her generation and we’ve seen what Justify is starting to do down here, so it seemed a nice mix and he was a nice physical.”

Purchased by Coolmore for A$1.45m at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, the former Waterhouse and Bott-trained Invincible Star is a close relation to the stakes-winning filly Festivity.

American Triple Crown winner Justify is the sire of five individual stakes winners in Australia with just two crops of racing age. Last season’s Group 2-winning juvenile Learning To Fly and Group 3-winning duo Air Assault and Storm Boy are among his best southern hemisphere-bred performers so far.

“Justify is doing a phenomenal job worldwide, in America, Europe, and we’re starting to see that success down here in Australia,” said Bott.

“It helps you be confident and go in strong on those horses.”

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