MAGIC MILLIONS -
LOT 762 SECURED
High Calibre Racing is delighted to present our final acquisition from the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale — a striking Toronado (IRE) x Salmah (FR) colt selected with intent and purpose.
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This colt immediately caught our eye with his athletic presence, strength through the shoulder and hindquarter, and an intelligent, composed demeanour that suggests he is built to thrive under professional training. He carries the pedigree, physical substance and mental framework we look for in horses capable of stepping into competitive racing early and progressing with maturity.
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He will proudly carry the Green & Black silks of High Calibre Racing and begin his career with a clear preparation pathway, under the expert guidance of respected trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, whose stable has already developed an HCR runner to stakes success and Group 1 contention. This colt is also eligible for VOBIS Silver bonuses, offering enhanced racing incentives across Victorian 2YO and 3YO races
PEDIGREE
Identified early as a colt with Caulfield Guineas aspirations by his selectors, he carries the right blend of physical maturity and athletic promise that makes him an exciting prospect from juvenile races through to classic targets.
Sire: TORONADO - A genuine world-class racehorse, winning two Group 1 races at the highest level in Europe, including the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. A son of High Chaparral, he combined speed, scope and toughness, defeating elite fields over a mile and consistently performing under pressure on racing’s biggest stages.
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At stud, Toronado has translated that class into his progeny. His stock are recognised for their athleticism, balance and competitive nature, and he has sired Group 1 performers in both hemispheres. In Australia, his progeny include Group 1 William Reid Stakes winner Masked Crusader, as well as multiple Group and stakes winners across sprint and middle-distance categories.
Toronado’s progeny are particularly noted for their ability to quicken off a strong tempo and sustain speed under pressure, traits that consistently hold up in feature racing in Australia.
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Dam: SALMAH— Comes from an extremely well-performed French family. She is a half-sister to Tuned, a consistent stakes performer, and her dam Zagora was an American Champion Turf Female, winning two Group 1s including the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the Diana Stakes, contributing eight Group wins overall. That international class and durability is reflected in this colt’s athletic profile and should complement Toronado’s speed and competitiveness as he progresses through training.
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Together, this pedigree profiles as one designed to produce a horse that can race, progress and compete.
TRENT BUSUTIN & NATALIE - A Proven HCR combination
This colt will be prepared by the highly regarded Cranbourne-based partnership of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Their international experience and methodical training approach have already delivered tangible results for High Calibre Racing — most notably with American Wolf, who brought HCR its first stakes win in the 2025 VRC St Leger and then went on to contest the Group 1 South Australian Derby.
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Busuttin & Young have a strong track record across both sprint and staying races, blending patience with precision to develop horses capable of rising through class. Their familiarity with this colt’s profile — a horse with athletic substance and a race-ready attitude — makes them an ideal fit as he begins his racing journey.
A Balanced, Purpose Built Athlete
What turned out to be the final purchase of the sale was, to our eyes, the colt that slipped through the cracks the most — a colt who impressed repeatedly and consistently at the complex.
From multiple inspections, he left a strong and lasting impression as a commanding physical type with a professional temperament. Nothing seemed to bother him, and he carried himself like a colt ready to take on early education and structured development.
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He is built in the athletic mould of Toronado’s better performed progeny — strong through the shoulder and hindquarter, and balanced in his overall design. His profile suggests versatility: the scope to perform from sprint distances as a late autumn two-year-old, with the strength to carry forward into middle distances as he matures.
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Watch him on parade: his relaxed presence, quality rhythm and efficiency of movement are exactly the traits we value when projecting how a colt handles early education and adapts under saddle. He caught the eye not just for looks, but for substance in motion — the kind that often translates to performance on the track.
FIRST STEP ON THE PROVEN PATHWAY
With a pedigree that blends performance and substance, eligibility for valuable VOBIS Silver bonuses, and preparation in the hands of a team that has already delivered for HCR at the stakes and classic level, this colt is well placed to make his mark.
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Ownership opportunities in this exciting colt are now available — join us as he begins a journey aimed at feature racing, bonus-earning campaigns and beyond.
