Magic Millions’ perfect start to the new season in city juvenile races has continued with the winning streak now at 11.
Following on from last Saturday’s six for six result with the winners of the Breeders’ Plate, Gimcrack Stakes and Maribyrnong Trial the highlights, the five metropolitan juvenile races this week were again all won by graduates of Magic Millions.
Moonlight Hussler led the way with a dashing win in the listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield with his connections now eyeing off the $2 million Jeep Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.
A $42,500 purchase from this year’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Moonlight Hussler overcame the outside barrier in the feature to score a great win.
Moonlight Hussler was bred at Arrowfield Stud and sold at the Morphettville auction by Glenelg Park on their behalf.
“We got him for $42,500 as a yearling so he has already paid for himself with this win,” Hayes noted.
“He’s a very sound, tough colt so I might give him another start in the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington during the Cup Carnival and then set him for the Magic Millions.”
Moonlight Hussler is the 90th individual stakes winner for international sire star Hussonet.
Now based at Angaston’s Cornerstone Stud, Hussonet is the sire of Australian based Group One winners Weekend Hussler, Eagle Falls and Gold Trail.
He is from the Sydney winning Redoute’s Choice mare, a half sister to the Reginald Allen Handicap placegetter Miss Shamardal.
Moonlight Hussler’s dam is none other than champion mare and grand producer Fanfreluche.
Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy has produced a second contender for the Jeep Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a second early season winner in Brisbane.
Following the win of Denman youngster Grapevine last week, Guy unearthed Stroak at Doomben at Saturday and the result was the same, although the margin this time around was much more comprehensive.
“We’ve got 25 two-year-olds and a few of them will be coming through in the next few weeks and I think they’ll measure up as well,” Guy said.
“She’s out of a Redoute’s Choice mare and even though she sat outside the leader I think she’ll be even better when we can ride her quiet and let her get home,” he added.
The win also continued the great run for graduates of March’s QTIS Yearling Sale and also leading Queensland based stud Glenlogan Park. All three Brisbane juvenile winners this season have come out of the same sale and same draft! Stroak cost $27,000 in March.
Stroak is by Real Saga, sire of the reigning Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Real Surreal and is from the Redoute’s Choice mare Cubism.
Just twice raced, Cubism is from the good producing Rory’s Jestre mare Fatina – a two time winner who is dam of Black Opal Stakes fourth placegeter Snippety Day and talented Brisbane galloper Rusty Colours.
Young Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker is also looking to the Magic Millions Classic with Unencumbered after his debut win at Randwick.
In a drama packed event, Unencumbered led home fellow Magic Millions graduates Giuliani and Khrysler to win by a half length, but then had to survive a protest fired in by the rider of the runner-up.
Stewards dismissed the objected and the Testa Rossa colt, who cost $70,000 from the Newhaven Park draft at January’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, retained the race.
“You can get excited about horses like there that come out of the Magic Millions Sale and give you a chance.”
“Things have been a bit lean of late, so it’s nice to get a winner, particularly with a two-year-old,” Baker added.
Unencumbered is the third runner for the former quality Sydney racemare Blizzardly – a winner of three races including the listed Keith Mackay Handicap.
Blizzardly has already thrown the two time Singapore winner Pure Tactics and this season’s placegetter Windrunner.
Unencumbered will be out to emulate his sire Testa Rossa who scored a brilliant win in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in 1999.
Vital Art kicked away the new season juvenile races in Western Australia with an impressive win for the Eric Wake stable at Belmont on Saturday.
A graduate of the Mungrup Stud draft at February’s Perth Yearling Sale at Belmont, Vital Art knuckled down late in the race to reel in the leader Castle Retreat and win by a length.
“Her first trial was over the 400 and they were all a bit green in that, but her second trial was really good,” Wake said.
“She’s bred to stay as well so she should only get better.”
Vital Art is the first named foal for the unraced Xaar mare Xaaristic, a mare who hails from a family packed with star WA based stakes winners.
Xaaristic is a half sister to the Bunbury Cup winner Destroy and also related to Hardrada, Ranger, Storm Alert, Lawmaker, Crimson Medal and Platinum Medal.
Vital Art is by Danetime’s two-year-old Group Two winning son Vital Equine, sire of WA Breeders’ Classic winner Takanori.
Perth’s leading trainer Neville Parnham predicted a bright future for bargain buy Roebuck following his win at Belmont on Saturday.
Leading home a stable one-two finish, Roebuck cruised home by a length and three quarters.
“He’s always shown me good potential,” Parnham said. “He only had the one trial because of a hold up with his name as the paper work got held up in Sydney and he missed a trial that I had planned.”
“But I knew he was well educated and I wasn’t too worried. He’s a pretty smart horse and I don’t think he’ll just be an early two-year-old either.”
Roebuck was purchased by Parnham for just $5,000 from the draft of Heytesbury Stud at the Perth Yearling Sale and he is part owned by former top jockey Michael Grantham – a man who has a strong history with the stable.
By former classy Melbourne based juvenile Husson Lightning, Roebuck is the second winner from three to race for his dam Last Temptation.
An unraced daughter of Distant Music, Last Temptation is a half sister to the eight time winning and group performed sprinter The Expat.
PICS – Greg Irvine (Melbourne), Dan Costello (Brisbane), Sportpix (Sydney)