Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Written by Georgie Dennis
Rugby League legend Billy Slater has returned to the Gold Coast for another Magic Millions Yearling Sale with his homebred colt, Lot 402, by Redoute’s Choice out of Encosta De Lago mare Inishowen, set to go through the ring in the Arrowfield Stud draft on Wednesday.
“I always look forward to January and coming up to the Magic Millions,” Slater said on Tuesday. “We didn’t know if we were going to be able to get here but we finally got here.
“It’s great that we’ve got the Sale underway and we had good fun down at the beach this morning. It’s always a great spectacle to see the horses galloping along the beach.”
“It’s great that we’ve got the Sale underway and we had good fun down at the beach this morning." - Billy Slater
Slater sold the colt’s half-brother by Wandjina at the 2019 edition of the Sale to Ciaron Maher for $180,000 and he is looking forward to seeing this year’s yearling go through the ring.
“You breed and raise these horses to get to this stage but this is only the start of their career,” Slater said. “A lot of work goes into it, selecting stallions and raising these young horses and we’re delighted to have this little Redoute’s Choice up for sale.
“Hopefully he does well and goes to a good home and I’m sure we’ll follow his career closely.”
Lot 402 - Redoute's Choice x Inishowen (colt)
Slater retired from Rugby League at the end of 2018 after a 15-year career for the Melbourne Storm and has since established Slater Thoroughbreds, a boutique breeding operation run by him and his family, to follow his passion for racing.
“It’s a little bit different but it’s something I’ve always been passionate about, racing and the breeding side of things now, selecting stallions for the mares and getting it all to work and to get them to this stage is such a great feeling,” Slater said.
“We’re looking forward to getting the colt through the Sale. He grew up down at our place near Melbourne and the kids have been feeding him, he’s become part of the family.
"He (Lot 402) grew up down at our place near Melbourne and the kids have been feeding him, he’s become part of the family." - Billy Slater
“We’ve nicknamed him 'Bobby' but he’ll get his own racing name once he gets sold here.”
Having sold his first horse at the Gold Coast two years ago, Slater said he gets a great thrill from seeing his own horses go through the ring and can’t wait to do it all again late on Wednesday afternoon.
“We sold a colt here a few years ago and it’s a great thrill,” he said. “A lot of work goes into it but to see your horse up there in the parade ring and going under the hammer, it’s a great thrill. It’s great that Magic Millions have been able to put this platform together.”
While he is excited to watch the sale of his own colt, Slater said he enjoys the overall Magic Millions week capped off with the Magic Millions Race Day on Saturday.
“I’m up here for the week,” he said. "We’ve got the Sale this week and the race day on Saturday so hopefully the weather stays good and we have a good day at the races on Saturday."
