The team at Kia Ora enjoyed a big week of selling and buying at the 2023 Magic Millions Sale. Yearlings from our draft were purchased by some of the country’s best judges and we’re thrilled to see them heading to top stables where they will get every chance of success.

In today's instalment of 2022/2023 Rapid Reflections, we feature a quickfire round with Emma McCabe, stallion secretary at Kia Ora Stud.

There were plenty of G1 stars in action at the trials at Warwick Farm on Monday including Anamoe, Forbidden Love, In Secret and Zougotcha, but this story is called Juvenile Trial Watch, so let’s focus on the two-year-olds.

The Exceed and Excel half brother to exciting juvenile Empire of Japan topped Day Five of the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale tonight.

Young Group II winning Bel Esprit mare Sweet Sherry is shaping as an exceptional producer for Silverdale Farm with her first living foal, a Snitzel filly, selling for $1.35million at this sale last year and her second making $1.1million earlier today.

It’s been a long time between drinks for quality Pierro stayer Persan, who was back in the winner’s circle at Flemington on Saturday when taking out the $175,000 Listed VRC JRA Trophy (2600m).

The locals have dominated the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin and were to the fore again on Sunday with the Australian-bred All Too Hard gelding Wellington.

The Snitzel filly Serasana will target the $2,000,000 Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield in February after making a perfect start to her race career in Saturday’s Ladbroke It Hcp (1000m) at Sandown-Hillside.

Mooneista (IRE) is the latest Group-winning import to join Kia Ora's broodmare band after being purchased for 850,000 gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

The China Horse Club colours were carried to victory at Wyong on Thursday by a blue-blood daughter of Exceed and Excel with a top class international pedigree.

American bloodlines have proved a good branch of success in Australia for a number of years now, so it was unsurprising to see buyers from Down Under making their presence felt during the first session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington on Monday.

The reigning champion sprinter in Hong Kong, Kia Ora Stud bred and sold All Too Hard gelding Wellington made his first appearance for the new season at Sha Tin on Sunday winning the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).