Winner: Captain Sonador (Shamardal-Pushing Daisies)
Race: AJC Epsom Handicap G1 (1600m)
Sold for: $30,000
Sale: 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Mill Park
Buyer: Gregg Wagner
Earnings: $535,500
Owner(s): GP Wagner
Trainer: Roger Milne (Toowoomba)

Captain Sonador joined the Group One club at Randwick today when he scored a brilliant win in the $500,000 Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Coming with a perfectly timed run under proven big race Glen Boss, Captain Sonador held out the more fanied runner Trusting to win in great style.

The win was the first at racing’s elite level for renowned Queensland trainer Roger Milne.

“I’m a dreamer and my dream’s come true today.”

“He’s a good horse,” Milne commented. “He came down here for this race – it’s just great.”

“We missed the Shannon (Stakes) and he came on really well from the other day – he had a good week.”

Captain Sonador, who is trained from the private property of owner Gregg Wagner outside Toowoomba, was given a strong each way chance following his last start third placing.

Wagner purchased his star galloper for just $30,000 from the draft of Mill Park at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Wagner said. “I didn’t think we would get there. I’m just so happy.”

“I needed it and I love it,” he added.

Winning rider Glen Boss paid tribute to his manager, award winning journalist Brendan Cormick, for his efforts in picking up the ride on Captain Sonador.

“I give credit to Brendan Cormick my manager who saw this horse’s run last week and thought he would chase it down.”

“He did the work to find if was going to get into the race or not and Brendan had a lot of confidence in this horse,” Boss added.

“It is nice to have another Group win over mile at Randwick.”

“I have had a lot of luck here at the mile, with this the third Epsom, so there is always a lump at the back of my throat as I love this track and it is a shame I cannot ride here more often as it is my favourite track in the world.”

“This horse looks like he has progressed so I am fortunate that Brendan picked this horse out,” Boss summed up.

Captain Sonador, a son of leading Darley shuttler Shamardal, is one of two runners and two winners produced by the multiple Adelaide winner Pushing Daisies.

By Kenny’s Best Pal, who is the broodmare sire of another Epsom winner in Racing to Win, Pushing Daisies is a half sister to the former outstanding racemare Umaline.

Umaline is now making her name as a broodmare – being the dam of stakes winner Fasline and stakes placed Adelaide galloper Furline.

Celebrating the win from the Limestone Coast of South Australia was the Watson family of Mill Park.

They bred and sold Captain Sonador and importantly still own and breed with his dam Pushing Daisies.

The latest yearling from Pushing Daisies, a half sister to Captain Sonador by Not a Single Doubt, is being prepared by the Waton’s for January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“She is a quality filly,” Magic Millions South Australian Manager Tim Brown reported. “She’s always been a lovely individual and she’s now a half sister to an Epsom winner!”

“I’ve seen a lot of Not a Single Doubt yearlings and she is right up there with the best of them,” Brown added.