NEXT Wednesday (January 10th) the Australian yearling sales season gets underway with day one of the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Book 1, comprising 853 yearlings, will be held over four days with the final session conducted on Saturday night following the A$10 million Magic Millions Raceday at the Gold Coast Turf Club.

“The 2018 catalogue has great depth and it is sure to unearth many future racetrack stars – like recent Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduates Redzel, Ace High and the legendary mare Winx,” said departing Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox, who will take up the role of Godolphin Australia’s managing director early in the new year.

Freshman sires at the sale are Adelaide (by Galileo), Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible), Deep Field and his full-brother Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor), Hallowed Crown (Street Sense), the Irish-bred Olympic Glory (Choisir), Proisir (Choisir), Rubick (Encosta De Lago), Sacred Falls (O’Reilly), Time For War (Snitzel), the Irish-bred Toronado (High Chaparral) and Wandjina (Snitzel), with Australia’s current champion sire Snitzel represented by 47 yearlings.

Another sire with 15 yearlings in the catalogue is Foxwedge, sire of recent New Zealand Group 1 winner Volpe Veloce.

Previously successful in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic, Volpe Veloce registered her latest success at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Sent off favourite for the six-furlong Railway Stakes, Volpe Veloce was in second last place with two furlongs to run. The Graham Richardson and Gavin Parker-trained filly had nine in front with the field making a wide arc at the final bend. Chasing the best ground near the outside rail Australian jockey Jake Bayliss was the widest runner.

Surviving a tight scrimmage with 100 metres to run, Volpe Veloce’s momentum couldn’t be denied as she rolled away to win by a length and a half from the Pins gelding Packing Eagle and Volksraad mare Volks Lightning.

“It’s amazing,” said Richardson who purchased the Australian-bred filly at the New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2015 Premier Sale for NZ$240,000. “She deserves it, the owners deserve it and so does Gavin Parker. Bring on the (Group 1) Telegraph (January 20th). We might even go to the (Group 1) Newmarket in Australia, as Jake seems to think she is up to it. After a run like that, on ground she doesn’t handle, who knows?”

The win was also Jake Bayliss’ first major. “This means the world to me,” he said. “Limited opportunities have stopped me getting success like this, but I’ve been working hard since I came to New Zealand. I’ve tried to put my best foot forward and (trainer) Graham Richardson has stuck by me in a big race like this. I’m now a Group 1 winning jockey, but I just can’t explain the feeling.”