Magic Millions graduates had a day out with six outstanding stakes winning performances around the country with black type victories in four states following on from a stunning Singapore success on Friday night.
Brilliant filly Winx confirmed her status as the horse to beat in the upcoming Queensland Oaks with a mind blowing win in Saturday’s Group Three Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) at Caloundra.
Last when rounding the turn, Winx unleashed a barnstorming finishing burst for the length of the straight, reeling in her rivals before cruising home to win by a widening length and three quarter margin.
A winner of the Furious Stakes and Phar Lap Stakes and runner-up in the AJC Oaks in Sydney, Winx is now ruling favourite for the Queensland Oaks after nothing win number five for trainer Chris Waller. Larry Cassidy was aboard the filly in the Caloundra filly.
A $230,000 purchase for Magic Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud, Winx is now a triple group winner and has earned connections over $723,000 from just 11 lifetime starts.
Winx is the first runner to date for her dam, the stakes winner Vegas Showgirl. A stakes winner at both Ellerslie and Avondale, Vegas Showgirl won seven races and earned over $216,000 before being retired to stud.
Vegas Showgirl is a half sister to the group performed three time winner Black Magic Maggie.
Star Perth galloper Luckygray added yet another feature race to his outstanding record when he won Saturday’s Group Three Roma Cup (1200m) at Belmont.
At his first run after a year off with injury, Luckygray let his class and tenacity do the talking as he scored a gutsy win to the roars of the crowd at the track.
Proud trainer Trevor Andrews described the ghostly grey as a “champ.” “Racing needs good horses and this bloke is one of those – the crowd loved it.”
A son of former Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Bradbury’s Luck, Luckygray was purchased for $46,000 at the 2009 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from the draft of Riverslea Farm. His earnings have raced to $2,677,525.
A 14 time winner from just 30 starts, Luckygray is the pin up winner of two to date for the four time winning Mukaddamah mare Damah Lady – a half sister to Todman Slipper winner Diego Garcia.
Quality Melbourne galloper The Bowler continued his top recent form by notching the biggest win of his career in Saturday’s Group Three RA Lee Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville.
Prepared by Robert Smerdon and with Mark Zahra in the saddle, The Bowler came with a perfectly timed run to win a thriller – out bobbing local stakes winner Excites Zelady to win in a photo finish.
Third in January’s rich Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast, The Bowler has raced in his home state on four occasions since for three wins and a third. He was sent out the favourite in the Group Three feature and delighting punters and connections he got the win.
A son of Testa Rossa, The Bowler was purchased by Aquanita Racing for $67,500 at the 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Southern Cross Breeders. As it stands he’s already won his connections over $426,000.
The Bowler is one of five winners for the good producing and well related Canny Lad mare Specie.
Unraced, Specie is a half sister to Golden Slipper winner Guineas and the group performer Takas. Other stakes winners in the family include Mossman, Moss Rocket, Balmont Girl and Ancient City.
Riva de Lago gave his National Weanling Sale bound half brother a boost when he notched a second stakes win at the Sunshine Coast.
Now in the Rob Heathcote stable and with Luke Nolen in the saddle, Riva de Lago hit the line strongly to win the listed Glasshouse Handicap by a widening length and a qarter margin over the favourite Time for War.
A graduate of both the 2009 Gold Coast Yearling Sale and Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale, Riva de Lago has earned of over $650,000 with eight wins and nine placings during a career in which he’s regularly raced at a high level.
Riva de Lago is one of 106 individual stakes winners for his sire Encosta de Lago.
He is from the three time winner and Group Two and Group Three placegetter Ashenti, a daughter of Ashkalani.
The mare has produced two winners and a placegetter this season from three runners and her latest weanling, a lovely bay colt by former Champion Three-Year-Old All Too Hard will be a feature lot of the Baramul Stud draft at the upcoming Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
The colt is catalogued as Lot 243 and he will go under the hammer during the first hour of the second day of the Southern Hemisphere’s number one weanling sale on May 25.
Highly regarded local juvenile Real Good earned a tilt at the Brisbane Winter Carnival two-year-old features following an impressive win in Saturday’s listed Bruce McLachlan Memorial Classic (1200m).
A $26,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase for his trainer Trevor Miller from the draft of Scone’s Dartbrook Downs Thoroughbreds, Real Good has always been held in good regard by connections, hence his name.
The gelding showed a good turn of foot in the straight and then showed tenacity to hold out a late charge from Darley juvenile Handfast to win in a thrilling finish.
Real Good is the third stakes winner for former quality juvenile Real Saga and is the second winner from two named foals for his dam Cruyff I’m Good.
A daughter of Danehill’s group winner Johan Cruyff, Cruyff I’m Good won four races up to 1100 metres and was placed in Sydney before retiring to stud. Her other runner Better Man is a winner at 1100 metres.
Further back it’s the same family as stakes winners including Easy Landing, Misty Dawn and Southbend.
Exciting juvenile Flippant earned a trip to Brisbane for further two-year-old features following her effortless on speed win in Saturday’s listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone.
A member of the Peter and Paul Snowden stable, Flippant was sent out the favourite and she displayed a strong cruising speed throughout to win by over two lengths.
Offered by Bell River Thoroughbreds at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Flippant was purchased by McKeever Bloodstock for $220,000.
Flippant is a well related filly. The first stakes winner for her sire Hinchinbook, she is from a Sydney winning daughter of General Nediym, Lady Beckworth.
Successful at 1100 metres, Lady Beckworth is a half sister to stakes performer Shaan as well as the Melbourne winner and perfect producer Regard.
Regard, two times a winner, only produced two foals before her tragic passing – the superstar mare Atlantic Jewel and her Group One winning three quarter sister Commanding Jewel.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Super One emerged as the newest star of that country’s racing scene when the outstanding two-year-old scored a five length win in Friday night’s Group Two Aushorse Golden Horseshoe at Kranji.
The Michael Freedman prepared son I Am Invincible made it three wins from three starts and collected over S$300,000 for his connections when he saluted for Craig Newitt.
A $190,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Freedman in conjunction with leading bloodstock agent Michael Wallace, Super One could even head back to Australia and a spring carnival mission.
“It’s a big relief he won especially when you are the short-priced favourite going into a big race like this,” Freedman said.
“He’s always shown enormous ability early doors and has great speed. I’ve spoken with the owners and we are toying with the idea of taking him to Melbourne in November.”
“We’ll see how he pulls up first. He’s still got plenty of scope for improvement, but he sure is a very exciting horse.”
Super One was purchased by Wallace and Freedman from the draft of Broadwater Thoroughbreds.