| Superstar filly Coolangatta upstaged her older rivals with a brilliant all the way win in tonight’s Group One AJ Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley. |
| The reigning Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner and Golden Slipper placegetter held out stablemate Bella Nipotina for a Group One win at just her sixth lifetime start. It’s been a remarkable rise to racing’s elite level for the three-year-old filly, who debuted less than a year ago with a stunning Gimcrack Stakes success. The Written Tycoon filly then won a Bruce McLachlan Classic at Group Three level before a famous win in the $2 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. Co-trainer Ciaron Maher heaped praise on the filly – achieving something only the finest fillies each generation can achieve. “It’s just fantastic,” Maher said. “A super job from the team.” “There were a lot of doubters, saying ‘why are you putting a three-year-old filly in a race like that against the hardened sprinters’ – but I was very confident in the horse.” “She had a tough run the other day, but she pulled up very well. She was very fit going in (tonight) and it was a super ride from Jamie.” “It’s a massive thrill to get a horse like her and to win a Group One so early in her career. It’s a great effort,” Maher added. Jamie Kah, who got down to 50 kilograms for the ride, was delighted with the performance from Coolangatta. “Gee she was tough,” Kah said. “It’s hard to do what she did – going against the older horses and to do that, even with the weight.” “She’s a star and I’m just happy to get on her at the right time,” she added. Coolangatta, now the earner of over $2.4 million from just six starts, was bred by John Warren of Highclere Stud in the United Kingdom, a truly wonderful horseman who is well known as the long time Bloodstock Advisor to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. By Yulong Stud’s champion sire Written Tycoon, Coolangatta is from a Sydney two-year-old winning More Than Ready half sister to Reaan. Her dam in turn is the Moonee Valley Oaks winner Ribe. Warren offered Coolangatta for sale through the Milburn Creek draft at the 2021 Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she was purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $280,000. Coolangatta wasn’t the only Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase to star in a group race at The Valley tonight with Tijuana and Daisies among the other stars. The Ben and JD Hayes trained Tijuana (American-Pharoah-Mexican Rose) raced into Caulfield Guineas calculations with a strong victory in the Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes. Already a Flemington stakes winner at two, Tijuana sat just behind the leader before striking the front on straightening and racing away for a soft win. Bred by Eureka Stud and Black Soil Bloodstock, Tijuana was sold for $100,000 through the Eureka draft to Best Bloodstock and Lindsay Park Racing. Daisies notched a second group win when she overcame a sluggish start for a thrilling, but brilliant win in the Group Two Stocks Stakes (1600m) in the night’s final event. Prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Daisies (Sebring-Tigress Lily) came with a late surge between runners in the straight courtesy of a copybook Damian Lane ride. Daisies was a $250,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for leading Melbourne based bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills from the Widden Stud draft. Mills said the mare would likely have a run at Caulfield before her ultimate aim, the Group One Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington. Winner: Coolangatta Breeding: Written Tycoon-Piping Hot (More Than Ready) Breeder: Highclere Stud Australia Race: MVRC AJ Moir Stakes G1 (1000m) Sold for: $280,000 Sale: 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Vendor: Milburn Creek (As Agent) Buyer: Ciaron Maher Bloodstock Earnings: $2,421,000 Owners: JA O’Neill, A Kheir, BD Nettlefold, D Edmonds, Ms KL Solomon, V Kheir, Carty Racing (Mgr: BC Carty), Mrs DA Bourne, Group 1 Bloodstock (Mgr: MP Becker), AP Scafidi, Yes Bloodstock & Solscaf Racing (Mgr: AJ Scafidi) Trainer(s): Ciaron Maher & David Eustace (Cranbourne) |
