| The build up to January’s $14.25 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday intensified today with a number of star studded performances around the country. |
| Arabian Summer led the charge early on Saturday when she scored a brilliant three and a half length win in the $250,000 Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic (1000m). When asked to quicken in the straight by rider Harry Coffey the daughter of Too Darn Hot did just that, accelerating away from her rivals for an authoritative success. Stakes placed at her two previous runs in the Group Three Ottawa Stakes and Listed Debutant Stakes, Arabian Summer could have booked herself a trip to Queensland for the $3 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 13. Connections will spend the next week or so deciding on the immediate future of the talented youngster. “She really impressed me today,” co-trainer Tony McEvoy reported. “We’ve got to make a decision now on whether to go north.” “She’s so professional and the Gold Coast suits horses that race like her. We’ll enjoy today, let the dust settle and see what happens.” McEvoy said it was his son and co-trainer Calvin who can take the credit for finding Arabian Summer in the Coolmore Stud draft in Book Two of January’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The stable and Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock Agency teamed up to secure the sharp youngster. “Calvin actually found her,” the proud father said. “I’ve got to take my hat off to him. He came to me and said ‘dad, we’ve got to look at this one in book two’.” “I said we’ve got enough on our list, so he forced me to come and have a look and she just looked like a pocket rocket, and I thought we’d steal this one” “Unfortunately, there were a lot of people who found her and we had to pay $220,000 for her, but I’m so pleased we did.” The Coolmore Stud draft at January’s 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale features a Wootton Bassett half sister to Arabian Summer as Lot 914. Later in the afternoon Baroque Road made it a big day for his family when he scored a strong win in the $175,000 Magic Millions Ballarat 3YO & 4YO Classic (1100m). A gelded son of former sizzling European sprinter Caravaggio, Baroque Road followed in the hoosteps of his half brother Independent Road to be a Magic Millions sold winner on Ballarat Cup Day. Baroque Road was a $100,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud – giving Coolmore graduates the big Magic Millions double at Ballarat. The day’s opening race at Ballarat, the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade was won by the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Sunset Dreaming – a $150,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for the stable and Belmont Bloodstock Agency from the draft of Mill Park Stud. The win provided the Impending filly’s half brother by King’s Legacy heading to January’s 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale with a lovely pedigree update. He is Lot 355 next month. Barbie’s Sister staked her claim for the $3 million juvenile Classic at the Gold Coast when she scored a dominant on speed win in today’s Listed Calaway Gal Stakes at Eagle Farm. The $300,000 buy for owner Harvey Black from the Eureka Stud draft will be out to emulate Away Game who did the double and also her full sister Outback Barbie who was a Magic Millions Raceday winner. Barbie’s Sister wasn’t the only Magic Millions graduate to achieve stakes success in Brisbane with Chatty Lady successful in the Listed Just Now Handicap. A half brother by Better Than Ready is Lot 1382 at January’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale in the Raheen Stud draft. Loch Eagle gave his connections plenty of reason to celebrate when he scored a deserved success in today’s Group Two $2 million The Ingham at Randwick. A tough son of Lonhro and a close relation to champion Pierro, Loch Eagle was a $230,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for leading bloodstock agent Bruce Perry from the draft of Newgate Farm. The headline act on a massive day for trainer Kris Lees, Loch Eagle found plenty in the straight when asked by Dylan Gibbons and the pair proved too strong. Loch Eagle has won won almost $1.8 million for his delighred band of connections. There was also interstate success on the day for Struck By (Barbados) in the Listed Christmas Handicap at Morphettville for Travis Doudle and Black Fantasy (Blackfriars) in the Listed Towton Cup at Ascot. That pair cost their connections $26,000 in Adelaide and $36,000 in Perth as yearlings respectively. Capping an incredible day of success for Magic Millions graduates was the runaway Group Two success of the untapped juvenile Captured by Love in the Wakefield Challenge at Trentham in New Zealand. Carrying the famous Te Akau tangerine, Captured by Love cantered home by three lengths under superstar rider Opie Bosson. Captured by Love, a daughter of Written Tycoon from Moldova, was a $525,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for David Ellis from the draft of Milburn Creek. Milburn Creek will present a half brother by Too Darn Hot to the unbeaten juvenile at January’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale for breeder Makybe. |
