Winner: Gingerbread Man (Shamardal-Quaffle)
Race: SingTC Magic Millions Juvenile Championship G3 (1200m)
Sold for $30,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Rothwell Park
Buyer: Magic Millions as agent
Passed for $50,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
Vendor: Sunshine Coast Racing Lodge (As Agent)
Reserve: $100,000
Earnings: S$253,490
Owner(s): Gingerbread Stable
Trainer: Bruce Marsh (Kranji)

Gingerbread Man confirmed his status as Singapore’s best two-year-old with a stunning win in the $200,000 Group Three Magic Millions Juvenile Championship (1200m) this evening.

An Australian bred and sold youngster by Shamardal, Gingerbread Man overcame the outside barrier and a torrid run to race to the lead in the straight and then fly clear.

A $30,000 purchase for Joe Singh at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Gingerbread Man not only swept away with the first prize cheque – but also a $50,000 bonus from Magic Millions.

Trainer Bruce Marsh, like most on course, was almost lost for words after the dynamic performance.

“He was very impressive,” Marsh said. “He’s a very good horse.”

“It was always the plan to drop him back if the others were quicker, but I have to say I was very concerned when I saw him caught wide.”

“But he gave such an extraordinary kick in the home straight. It just smashed them – unbelievable!”

“I didn’t really rate him as a sprinting type two-year-old and we’ve always ridden him back a bit.”

“He’s a very good horse.”

Marsh went into the race with a great deal of confidence, knowing he had the favourite and the horse to beat.

“The way I look at it is in a way, he coming a little down in class after than race in Open company,” he reported.

“Only the barrier was a concern but he’s handled it very well. He’s deserved a little rest and his goal will be the Three-Year-Old challenge next year.”

“He’s such a lovely laid back individual and I have no doubt that he will be able to get more ground.”

“The owner Joe Giovanni bought him at the Magic Millions sale at the Gold Coast. I then helped him get a group of people to get some shares in him.”

Winning rider Barend Vorster couldn’t help but be impressed with the performance of Gingerbread Man.

“What can I say about this horse? He was put against the wall and he’s fought back to win in a style that speaks volumes about his potential.”

“I bouned him out well so I could make up my mind if I could lead or ease back,” Vorster added.

“When the other two horses on the inside proved faster, I decided to drift and follow Strata Star, whom I know has a good pace and could give me a good cart.”

“But then he kept changing his legs at the home turn, and I thought I was in trouble. But once he got on his left leg and I asked the question, he just pulled away.”

“I think in a funny sort of way, he’s still very immature but at the same time when he was able to get back on his right leg, it showed he was mature as well,”  Vorster summed up.

Gingerbread Man, a graduate of Rothwell Park, is by the Darley shuttler Shamardal, and is from the lightly raced Hurricane Sky mare Quaffle.

Quaffle, whose other runner is also a winner, is a half sister to the stakes winning Unbridled’s Song mare Golden Snitch.

Gingerbread Man’s third dam is Spyglass, the Group One winning dam of Epsom Handicap hero Iron Horse.