The untapped and unbeaten youngsters look to have bright futures after both scoring black type victories at their second starts.
Jericho Missile gave leading trainer David Harrison a third win in the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200m) when he stormed home to beat the exciting Niccovi in a thrilling edition of the feature.
A gelded son of Smart Missile, Jericho Missile was sent out the $3.10 third favourite in a tight market and under the urgings of champion Perth hoop William Pike he proved too strong.
“He’s pretty special,” Harrison said of the youngster who’d won his only previous outing at Ascot in the $100,000 Crystal Slipper Stakes on December 1.
Bred by David Bentata, Jericho Missile was originally sold to Peter McIntyre for $22,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale through the draft of Holbrook Thoroughbreds.
The youngster was then prepared by Maluka Thoroughbreds for the 2018 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale where he caught the eye of Harrison and the master horseman went to $77,500 to secure him.
“I just loved him from the first time I saw him,” Harrison told reporters after the win. “It was just one of those times when you buy you think ‘I’ve just got to have this horse’ and I didn’t care what he went for,” Harrison said.
“He’s got a great bunch of owners,” Harrison added. “I’m really happy.”
Among the big team of owners in Jericho Missile is WA Hall of Fame greyhound trainer Linda Britton who is a good friend of Harrison and his wife Jenny.
The win of Jericho Missile provided WA’s premier jockey William Pike with his first win in the rich juvenile feature.
“It’s nice to tick that one off,” Pike said. “He looks a very nice type.”
Exciting filly Niccovi, a $200,000 Perth Yearling Sale buy, lost no admirers with her gallant half neck second under Pat Carbery, while the favourite Miss West Coast earned black type with a third placing another length and a quarter away.
Meanwhile, the sky’s the limit for exciting young galloper Samizdat after an incredible win in the $150,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (1200m).
The Chris Gangemi trained son of Not a Single Doubt has spent a lot of his life in the headlines and it looks like there are more headed his way with feature races set for his exciting future.
A half brother to WA Champion Fillies Stakes winner Samovare, Samizdat topped the 2017 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale when selling to Gangemi Racing for $325,000.
He impressed at his racetrack debut when winning at Belmont late in his two-year-old season and was put away with shin soreness before resuming today in the Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.
Samizdat was bred and sold by Amelia Park Racing and Breeding and Peter Walsh retained a share in the youngster when he joined Gangemi and a band of other owners.
“This has given me a great thrill,” Walsh said. “He looks a very exciting horse and I must thank all of the Amelia Park team for helping me breed Samizdat.”
“Full credit to all at Gangemi Racing for what they’ve done with him so far and we’re very excited about his future.”
The win was the fifth Magic Millions success for star jockey Jarrad Noske from just 11 rides in the rich feature races across his career.
“It was pretty relieving going over the line,” jockey Jarrad Noske said. “He got back a long way and he was off the bridle at the 600.”
“He showed a pretty special turn of foot. I haven’t felt that from a horse for a while.”
The win was celebrated by the team from Scenic Lodge who will present a Snippetson half brother to Samizdat (and Samovare) as Lot 122 at the upcoming 2019 Perth Yearling Sale in the Swan Valley on February 18 and 19.
