Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic
Race Summary:
Deciding to jump back into the Magic Millions waters last year proved to be a great move for Godolphin with Exhilarates (Snitzel) becoming the third straight filly to win the Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Getting bumped out of the gates, Exhilarates settled as one of the last horses in the field as the race unfolded ahead of her. With 300 metres to go, the filly still had most of the field to pass but was finally given a hole to run through and kicked into gear. It took nearly every metre of the stretch for the filly to catch Dubious (Not a Single Doubt), passing him in the last 10 metres to give Godolphin their first win in the race with their first runner.
Dubious (Written Tycoon), who looked the winner for most of the stretch finished a good second when holding off Hightail by about a neck.
Pedigree Notes:
Godolphin paid $600,000 for the daughter of Snitzel at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale, with the filly being the first named foal from champion Samaready (More Than Ready).
A two-time Group 1 winner, Samaready is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Night War and Group 2 placed Samartested (Testa Rossa). The family has class for generations with County Tyrone (Danewin) a half-sister to their dam and Australian champion Almalad (Al Maher) from his half-sister.
Samaready has an All Too Hard yearling colt and was bred to I Am Invincible this season.
Listed Magic Millions Guineas
Race Summary:
It was a top result for Queensland’s own Spirit of Boom in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas with Boomsara winning and Outback Barbie third.
Boomsara controlled the race from the start, unchallenged until the straight. Once the field hit the 300 metre mark, the race was on. Bondi came after Boomsara and gave him a fight throughout the stretch with the leader having to work hard to keep him at bay as Outback Barbie flew up the outside. In the last few strides, Boomsara seemed to be in trouble as both rivals headed him but the line came quick enough to see him win the photo.
While Boomsara was immediately declared the winner, there was a challenge from Outback Barbie’s connections against Bondi (Snitzel) that held second and third in doubt for many minutes. In the end, the results stood with Bondi finishing second and Outback Barbie third.
Pedigree Notes:
Boomsara topped off a stellar day for Freebird (Bluebird). The mare was the granddam of two Magic Millions winners on the card with Chapter And Verse’s win in the QTIS Open. Boosmara is the only stakes winner for his dam Passara (Tsuimai), who is also the dam of Listed placed Sarisara (Red Dazzler) though she has produced all winners from foals to race.
Freebird is also the dam of Chapter And Verse’s Listed placed dam McFly and Listed placed McCloud (Jeune). Passara had a full brother to Boomsara in 2017, a colt by Defcon in 2018, and was bred back to Spirit of Boom in 2018.
Listed Magic Millions Cup
Race Summary:
It was a great day around Australasia for the Baker family with Murray Baker winning the Group 1 Levin Classic and Bjorn Baker winning two Magic Millions races, including the Woodford Reserve Magic Millions Cup with Redouble (Redoute’s Choice).
Running in midpack until the stretch, Redouble stuck to the inside during the run down the straight and was able to easily take the lead in the final 200 metres, taking over the lead unchallenged for a smart victory.
It was a cavalry charge behind him with six horses within two lengths of him at the line though none had put up a serious challenge after he took the lead. Sambro finished second while Shogun Sun won a photo for third.
Pedigree Notes:
Redouble is one of five winners from five to race from Group 1 winning mare Special Mission (Towkay). The mare is the best runner in the immediate family but Group 2 winner Dare (Three Legs) is found under Redouble’s fourth dam along with 10 other stakes horses.
Special Mission has a 2-year-old Helmet filly named Mlitida in training with Lee and Shannon Hope, foaled a Palentino colt last year, and is in foal to Fighting Sun.
Magic Millions Maiden Plate
Race Summary:
Terminology (Star Witness) had been agonizingly close to breaking her maiden many times in her career and finally put the hurdle behind her in the Pacific Fair Magic Millions Maiden Plate at the Gold Coast.
Close to the leading Pipe Dream Lass throughout the race, by the time the field reached the 300 metre mark, Terminology was well in control of the lead and steadily pulling away under a hand ride by Tim Clark.
A late run by Rock (Pierro) saw the margin cut to a length at the line with Lagrade (Hinchinbrook) passing multiple horses in the last 50 metres for third.
Pedigree Notes:
A $300,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott from the Newhaven Park draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Terminology is from the winning mare Taylor’s Command (Commands).
Taylor’s Command is a half-sister to Group 2 winning So Pristine (Zabeel) and Listed winner Restored (Red Ransom). The trio are also half-siblings to the dam of Group 2 winner Dijon Bleu (Burgundy).
Terminology’s Rubick half-sister sold for $200,000 to John Foote Bloodstock, Brae Sokolski, and Darren Weir Racing for $200,000 at the Gold Coast earlier this week at Lot 209.
Magic Millions Country Cup
Race Summary:
Mr Markou (Stryker) spent most of the Frizelle Sunshine Magic Millions Country Cup at the rear of the field with just two horses beat. But a calm ride by Daniel Griffin saw the gelding switched to the outside in the straight to have clear running room and swoop past the field.
It was a nail-biting finish for his connections with the gelding only getting up in the final strides to win the $250,000 race. He just nosed out Reckless Choice (Choisir) for the victory with the consistent Stanley Park (Duke of Marmalade) winning another photo for third.
Pedigree Notes:
A $165,000 yearling at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, Mr Markou is from a half-sister to Group 3 winner Live In Vain (Kenvain), the Listed winner Snort (Happy Giggle), and Group 2 placed Live In Sin (Noverre).
His dam Live In Black has switched between visiting Stryker and Unencumbered during her seven year career with two full sisters to Mr Markou, including an unnamed 2-year-old who sold for $5,500 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling and Bloodstock Sale as a weanling.
Queensland Magic Millions Handicap
Race Summary:
Chapter And Verse (Rothesay) gave his trainer Desleigh Forster the biggest win of her career when storming home to win the Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open.
The 4-year-old gelding was midpack throughout the early stages of the race and was in prime running position on the outside of the field with 400 metres left to run. When the horses swung into the straight, all the gelding needed was Mark Du Plessis’ cue to run and he went after the lead. It didn’t take long for him to take over, collaring the leaders at the 200 metres mark and in command 100 metres out.
Tokoriki Lad made a late run at the lead but was no match for the leader when finishing second with In His Stride about a length behind that horse when finishing third.
Pedigree Notes:
Chapter And Verse is the sixth foal from Listed placed McFly (Perugino). All of the mare’s horses of racing age have made at least one start with five winning including the Listed-placed 3-year-old Soaring Heart.
McFly is a half-sister to Listed placed McCloud (Jeune) and Passara (Tsuimai), who is the dam of Group 3 and MM Guineas winner Boomsara (Spirit Of Boom). This is also the family of Group 2 winner Mount Olympus (Godswalk). McFly has a 2-year-old Golden Archer filly who was passed in at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, a yearling filly from the same sire and a weanling Spirit of Boom filly. She was served by Starcraft in 2018.
Magic Millions Trophy
Race Summary:
In the Sky Racing Magic Millions Trophy, Tumultuous (Fastnet Rock) became only the eighth horse in history to win two races at the Magic Millions carnival after being pointed at this race immediately after he won it in 2018.
The gelding settled a few lengths behind the leading Goodfella (Snitzel) in fifth with jockey Robbie Fradd not asking him to do much until the far turn. On the rail, it looked like Tumultuous may be in trouble as he was passed by horses turning into the straight but at the 300 metre mark, he clicked into gear and went after the leader.
By the 200 metre mark, he was within a length of Goodfella but it wasn’t until the 100 metre mark that he finally took the lead. Goodfella didn’t let him get far, crossing the line just a little over a quarter length behind him with Black On Gold (Sebring) also joining the party to finish third by less than a length.
Pedigree Notes:
Tumultuous was a $350,000 purchase from Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Chris Waller Racing. The gelding’s dam Boisterous Lady is a Listed stakes winner who turned into an even better producer.
Her fourth foal was Group 1 Australian Oaks winner Rena’s Lady and she also went on to produce Group 2 winner Vatuvei and Group 3 winner Raise, who then produced Listed Tasmania Oaks third Monopole. Tumultuous is one of her foals by Fastnet Rock with the other being four-time winner Gallant Rock.
Magic Millions Snippets Plate
Race Summary:
The fourth time running at the Magic Millions Carnival proved to be the charm for Egyptian Symbol (Stratum) when she won on the Gold Coast in her fourth try at the carnival.
Egyptian Symbol spent most of the race comfortably watching it unfold from last place. It wasn’t until 250 metres out that the mare found a hole from her spot in the back of the field and was given clear running room. She showed a tremendous turn of foot to go from last to first in the last 200 metres and take home her Magic Millions victory.
Fiery Heights (Hidden Dragon) had been trying to hold off Dothraki (Mossman) in the final stages of the race, something he accomplished when finishing second by the slimmest of margins over that rival.
Pedigree Notes:
Egyptian Symbol is the seventh foal from Champion New Zealand Older Female Sprinter Our Egyptian Raine (Desert Sun), who also produced Hong Kong Group 1 placed Strathmore (Fastnet Rock). Our Egyptian Raine is a half-sister to multiple listed winner Egyptian Ra (Woodborough) and four other winners.
Our Egyptian Raine is the best runner under her first four dam though it is also the family of listed winner Mississippi Red (Twenty Four Karat). As a broodmare she’s produced six winners from seven to race with her youngest of racing age being the unraced 2-year-old Smart Missile filly Egyptian Missile. She has a yearling Hinchinbrook filly, foaled a colt by All Too Hard in 2018 and is in foal to Headwater.
Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Plate
Race Summary:
Invincibella (I Am Invincible) provided trainer Chris Waller a double on the card when winning the Moet & Chandon Magic Millions Fillies & Mares and becoming the ninth horse to win two races at the Magic Millions Carnival.
Invincibella raced mid-pack throughout the race about five lengths off the leader, comfortably between horses. Hugh Bowman got to work on the mare, who was only a few lengths off the leader as they swung into the straight and she grinded away at the leaders. It wasn’t an easy task for the mare as she used all but the last 50 metres of the stretch to get the lead and winning by a neck.
Godolphin’s Manicure (Exceed And Excel) finished second with the pair over a length ahead of Magic Alibi (Star Witness), who just edged out Irithea (Snitzel).
Pedigree Notes:
An accomplished Group winner in her own right, Invincibella is from the Galileo mare Abscond, who is also the dam of Group 3 placed Secret Blaze (Sizzling). Invincibella’s third dam is the dam of Group 1 Adelaide Cup winner The Hind (McGinty) with eight stakes horses under Invincibella’s first four dams.
Invincibella is bred on a similar cross to Group 1 winner Magna Grecia (Invincible Spirit) and Group 2 winner Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit).
Abscond had a colt by Extreme Choice in 2018 and was bred to Spirit of Boom that same year. Her youngest racing age foal is a full sister to Secret Blaze named Well Done You who is in training with Daniel Williams.
