Super Smink lived up to stable expectations and announced herself as one of the new stars of Western Australian racing with an eye catching win in today’s $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200, LR) at Pinjarra. |
Prepared by master horseman Dan Morton, Super Smink finished strongly under Chris Parnham to win the juvenile feature as second favourite after an eye catching debut recently. Connections were confident that from a better barrier today and with the raceday experience under her belt she was one of the runners to beat in the black type event. “She’s been one we’ve liked for a long time,” Morton said moments after the win. “Her trials were good and her first start was excellent.” “Once she drew a gate, that was all-important and then Chris nailed the ride – she’s pretty smart and that was fun!” “There’s a massive group of clients (among the ownership) and a lot of them are first time owners as well, so it’s really exciting for them.” “I really liked her,” Morton said of selecting the filly from the Swan Valley sales last year. “We do a lot of homework before we buy and she was one who was on my short list and I was probably prepared to pay a bit more for her.” “You don’t always get it right,” Morton added. “But this time I did!” Chris Parnham ended a drought for the three riding Parnham brothers with victory in today’s 2YO Classic. “It’s good to win this race,” Parnham noted. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to win it.” “Her run the other day was huge. If we’d have drawn a (better) gate we would have won.” Last year’s Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic winner Sheeza Belter has gone on to do big things in the east with a Group One in Brisbane and Group Two in Sydney already and connections will be hoping Super Smink could do similar. “You never know where these two-year-olds could end up – but the world is her oyster,” Parnham added. Super Smink, a daughter of former crack Singapore sprinter Super One, was a $45,000 purchase for Morton from the Forest View Farm at last year’s Perth Yearling Sale. She is from a once raced Snitzel three quarter sister to Detective and Bourne Supremacy. The connections of runner-up Snow Prince were delighted with his effort in the Classic and in doing so collected the lion’s share of the $75,000 WA Racing Women’s Bonus on offer as the first female owned runner past the post. Meanwhile, quality stakes performer Man Crush scored the biggest win of his good career to date when he scored a dashing win in the $200,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy (1200m, LR). Prepared by Luke Fernie, who won last year’s 2YO Classic with Sheeza Belter, Man Crush cruised home under legendary Perth rider Paul Harvey to win by two and a half lengths. Sent out at as a $4.6 pop with bookmakers, Man Crush had run in three straight stakes races including a narrow second to boom filly Amelia’s Jewel in the Belgravia Stakes. “He never draws a good gate, but this bloke is super tough and runs great every time,” Fernie noted. Man Crush, a son of Manhattan Rain and from a daughter of Group One winner Juice, was a $45,000 purchase from the draft of Misty Valley Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Perth Yearling Sale. While the focus of most West Australians today was on Pinjarra, the team from Ruby Racing and Breeding were celebrating earlier in the day when rising talent Wollimbi won the Group Three The Vanity at Flemington. The Peter and Paul Snowden trained filly, a Magic Millions purchase on the Gold Coast, made it three straight wins when she finished too well for her rivals headed by See You in Heaven. Ruby Racing and Breeding will present a half brother to Wollombi by exciting young sire Tassort as Lot 104 at next week’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. The Magic Millions focus switches briefly to Tasmanian for tomorrow’s Magic Millions Raceday at Launceston before the 2023 Tasmanian Yearling Sale at Quercus Park on Monday. Then the action switches back to the West for the Perth Yearling Sale in Middle Swan on Thursday and Friday. |