Coolangatta’s Magic Millions path begins with Randwick trial return

6 min read
G3 Gimcrack S. winning filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) ramped up her preparations for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a fetching trial win at Randwick on Tuesday.

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

It’s a long road to the G1 Golden Slipper next March, but already the feelers have been out on boom filly Coolangatta for several months. She returned to the track after a freshen-up with a trial win at Randwick on Tuesday morning in withering fashion.

The 2-year-old was in an open event against older horses, a fillies’ and mares’ heat over 1050 metres, and she won easily for jockey Tommy Berry in the colours of some of racing’s most prominent figures, including John O’Neill, Ozzie Keir and Yes Bloodstock.

Coolangatta is a raging fancy for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic next month, sitting third on the current ballot behind Cusack (Not A Single Doubt) and Mishani Warfare (The Mission). She is the highest filly on the ballot as the winner of her only race to date, the prestigious G3 Gimcrack S. in October.

Jumping well and settling just off the speed on Tuesday morning, Coolangatta was second in her trial for much of the way behind Redoute’s Soul (Redoute’s Choice), with Decisive Move (American Pharoah {USA}) on her inside. They entered the straight in that order before the filly ranged up to take the lead.

In the final 100 metres, Azure Sky (Air Force Blue {USA}) was bustled along to take up second, but Coolangatta was untouched to win comfortably at the line.

The margins were 0.58l to Azure Sky and 0.89l to Decisive Move. The time on the Good 4 was 1:04.27, the last 600 metres in 34.37s.

Coolangatta | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

The win continued a so-far flawless career for Coolangatta, whose Gimcrack S. win is now sandwiched by a pair of trial wins on either side. Trained at Warwick Farm by the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace operation, the filly has been strong enough to claim early contention for even the G1 Golden Slipper.

In recent history, however, winners of the Gimcrack have been up against it in the Golden Slipper the following autumn.

Catch Me (I Am Invincible) won the Gimcrack before an unplaced run to Kiamichi (Sidestep) in the Slipper in 2019, and Caliope (Exceed And Excel) won the Gimcrack in 2015 then finished unplaced to Capitalist in the 2016 Slipper.

Mirror Mirror winning the 2005 G3 Grimcrack S. | Image courtesy of Sportpix

When it comes to the Gimcrack-Magic Millions 2YO Classic double, the odds are equally stacked. Only one filly has managed to win both races, and that was Mirror Mirror (Dehere {USA}) in season 2005/06.

But it only takes an exception to break a trend.

Ultra-professional

Coolangatta was purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She cost $230,000, coming from the draft of John Muir’s Milburn Creek.

Coolangatta as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions

The filly is the second foal from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Piping Hot, and she’s a half-sister to the 3-year-old gelding Snitzonfire (Snitzel), who won his first three races on the trot through the spring before a last-start fourth to Starman (Zoustar) at Rosehill.

“Coolangatta was a nice filly, though she wasn’t obvious,” said Will Bourne, the bloodstock manager for Ciaron Maher Racing. “At the time, Written Tycoon had been over More Than Ready mares nine times for a Group 1 winner with another stakes-placed horse, so the cross worked. She was a nice filly from a good farm and by a proven stallion.”

Before the Sale in January, Bourne had been approached by prominent owner John O’Neill, who was looking for a tidy racing and breeding prospect.

Will Bourne and Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of Ciaron Maher Racing

“John wanted me to find a couple of fillies that he could race and then breed from, and I thought this filly was one at the money that fitted the order perfectly,” Bourne said. “Ciaron really liked her as well, so everyone was on the same page.”

From the get-go, Coolangatta was foot perfect.

“She’s been ultra-professional,” Bourne said. “She’s worked out what to do very, very quickly. She’s an absolute natural.”

“She’s (Coolangatta) been ultra-professional. She’s worked out what to do very, very quickly. She’s an absolute natural.” - Will Bourne

The filly will run in the G3 B J McLachlan S. at Doomben on Boxing Day as her lead-up to the Magic Millions Carnival, and thereafter the stable will see where she’s at before Slipper considerations. In her corner, the mileage won't upset her.

“One thing she certainly has in her favour is that she’s so well-educated and travelled at the moment,” Bourne said. “It’s not hugely taxing on her, so she does have that advantage on her.

"She went to the beach the other day for the first time in Newcastle and she worked on a long rein like a 5-year-old gelding, like she’d done it all before. She adapts very quickly, which is her strength in both her racing and constitution.”

Tuesday juvenile winners

Across the rest of Tuesday morning at Randwick, there were three juvenile trial results.

In heat 9, the Capitalist filly Asteria won her heat going away, drowning the field by 3.75l with jockey Rachel King for trainer Mark Newnham. Asteria snatched the bit shortly after the jump and galloped away from second-placed Mccann (Snitzel), who is from the dual Group-winning mare Gregers (Commands).

Asteria is noteworthy as a full sister to Profiteer (Capitalist), who was a brilliant early juvenile last year when winning the R. Listed Inglis Millennium before a runner-up finish to Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) in the G2 Todman S., and a similar result this spring when second to Extreme Warrior (Extreme Choice) in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. at Caulfield.

Asteria as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions

Asteria was purchased from Newgate Farm at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, selling for $375,000 to Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA).

The remaining two juvenile trials saw Miss Hellfire (Hellbent) win for Triple Crown Syndications and Toronomica (Torondao {Ire}) win among the colts and geldings.

Miss Hellfire has now won both her trial appearances this preparation for the Snowden training team, and she was a reasonable bargain at $60,000 for her owners, selling at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Newgate Farm.

Toronomica, meanwhile, was on debut in his trial, and this colt is the fifth foal from Anatomica (Choisir), who was fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper to Sebring in 2008. Toronomica was sold by Gilgai Farm at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, going to the Freedman Brothers and Karl Brown Bloodstock for $220,000.

Coolangatta
Will Bourne
Ciaron Maher Racing
Randwick 2-year-old trials
Asteria