Led by an exciting win in the Group Two Villiers Stakes by talented Brisbane based miler Crack Me Up the performances of all stakes winners were timely with the majority being aimed at Queensland’s richest raceday on January 13.
Crack Me Up made it two stakes wins from his past three runs when he powered home to beat the tearaway leader Cabeza de Vaca by a widening long neck margin.
Trainer Liam Birchley, who purchased the son of Mossman for $60,000 at the 2015 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, said he had his eyes firmly set on the Magic Millions Raceday.
By winning the Villiers Stakes, Crack Me Up earned a ballot free berth into the Group One Doncaster Handicap and also provided connections with an opportunity for a $100,000 bonus.
If Crack Me Up raced next and won the Bernborough Handicap he would scoop the bonus, but he may not even tackle that race.
“The race worked out a bit unusually (with the tearaway leader),” Birchley said. “To his credit he finished strongly. He’s always been a trier.”
“We’ll probably freshen him up now for the Magic Millions (Raceday),” Birchley added.
A graduate of Glastonbury Farms from the stakes winning Danehill mare Chuckle, Crack Me Up is now the winner of over $500,000.
Just over half an hour later at Randwick quality Redoute’s Choice mare Zestful scored a valuable stakes win when she edged out fellow Magic Millions graduate I Thought So in the listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).
The six-year-old, having just her 20th career outing, pushed her earnings past $400,000 when victorious for the Kris Lees and Christian Reith combination.
Zestful is raced by Paul Frampton and Antony Thompson’s Widden Stud, having been purchased by Paul for $90,000 at the 2013 National Yearling Sale from Bellerive Stud.
An outstanding card of racing at Doomben produced a number of outstanding trials to the Magic Millions Raceday.
Earlier in the afternoon it was all about the two-year-olds and the performances of stablemates Ef Troop and Outback Barbie were impressive.
Ef Troop shot to outright favouritism for the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) when he smashed a small field in the listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1110m).
Sent out the favourite after an impressive debut win and a subsequent 20 length trial win at the Gold Coast, Ef Troop led from start to finish and held a massive five and a quarter length margin over the well fancied southern raider Crockett.
A $70,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase from Eureka Thoroughbreds for Tony Gollan and John Foote, Ef Troop provided a boost for his full brother who is being prepared by Eureka Stud for the 2018 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Ef Troop made history in winning – the first stakes winner for his sire Spirit of Boom, another successful graduate sold through the Gold Coast sales ring.
It was double delight for trainer Tony Gollan and Spirit of Boom when his debuting daughter Outback Barbie won the next race, the listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1110m).
Purchased by owners Alan and Jennifer Acton for $210,000 in January, Outback Barbie was sent out one of the leading contenders after an eye catching trial last week when nosed out by proven Melbourne stakes performer Sunlight.
It’s been an incredible start to the season for Spirit of Boom with the Group One winning son of Sequalo racing to a big lead on the First Season Sires Premiership.
Spirit of Boom has 12 yearlings catalogue for January’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, eight for March’s Adelaide Yearling Sale and then a further 42 for the hugely popular Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
Millionaire galloper Most Important returned to his brilliant best at Doomben when he raced away to win the listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) in a wonderful Magic Millions Day lead up.
From the all conquering Tony Gollan stable, Most Important stormed away from his rivals in the straight for a performance that delighted his buyers and owners, the Huddy family.
A son of Yarraman Park’s I Am Invincible, Most Important was purchased by the Huddy’s for $260,000 at the 2014 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. With a $500,000 Summer Crown bonus from last year he’s earned over $1.2 million for connections.
Exciting three-year-old Whypeeo, another stakes winner sold by Yarraman Park and by their star sire I Am Invincible, bounced back to his brilliant best in today’s listed Gold Edition Plate (1200m).
Slow away when first up recently, Whypeeo was too quick for his rivals this time around – leading from start to finish in a dominant performance.
Runner-up Pierata was sent out the warm favourite and after a sluggish start he was seen at his best over the final furlong – he is definitely looking for the 1400 metres of the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
Whypeeo, prepared on the Gold Coast by Toby Edmonds, was purchased by Blue Sky Bloodstock for $200,000 at last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
And the $1 million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m) is the likely main aim this preparation for Robert Heathcote’s speedy customer Pinch River, winner of today’s listed Bribie Handicap.
At his first run for the preparation, Pinch River showed speed throughout under Ron Stewart and had enough up his sleeve to hold out all challengers in the 1050 metre feature.
Pinch River was purchased by Paul Willetts for $85,000 from the Musk Creek Farm draft at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2013 – the same sale where world champion mare Winx was sold.
