A second Group One winner for popular Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida, Miss Cover Girl was able to get home to give the locals the last feature of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
In the run to the line the daughter of Monashee Mountain was able to hold out the race’s warm favourite Azkadellia by a length. The rest of the field, headed by Sultry Feeling, was another length and a quarter back.
A graduate of the Blue Hills Thoroughbreds draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, Miss Cover Girl sent her earnings soaring to $804,900 with her biggest success to date.
The win capped a big day for Schweida – he was in Rockhampton where he saddled up that city’s Cup winner as well.
Winning rider Damian Browne said things went Miss Cover Girl’s way this time around and she was able to shine on the big stage.
“She’s been a great little mare without a lot of luck throughout her career,” winning rider Damian Browne said.
“Today she was able to get into a good sport and everything fell into place and she was could show what she could do.”
“She gave me a lovely ride and I couldn’t be happier throughout. I was able to work into it at my own tempo and when I asked her to give me a kick she gave me a real strong kick,” Browne added.
The second Group One winner for Danzig’s group winning son Monashee Mountain, Miss Cover Girl is the only named foal for her dam, the Brisbane winner Tolart.
A daughter of Show a Heart, Tolart won four races prior to retiring to stud and Miss Cover Girl was her first foal.
Miss Cover Girl was one of five stakes wins on the Eagle Farm card for Magic Millions graduates with Feltre, Cellarman, Into the Red and Sold for Song all victorious.
Feltre scored a breakthrough stakes success earlier on the Eagle Farm card when he led his rivals a merry dance in the listed AM Giles & Co Chartered Accountants Handicap (1830m).
Now prepared by Brian Smith, Feltre was able to reel in the leaders when coming on the inside of runners after straightening for home and from there the result was never in doubt as he and rider Paul Hammersley won by almost two lengths.
Feltre, a son of Show a Heart, is a Clear Mountain Fairview graduate from the 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Chick Gold, the dam of Feltre, won two minor races over 1400 metres and is a daughter of Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Testa Rossa.
Narrowly beaten in January’s $1 million Magic Millions Trophy (1800m) at the Gold Coast, Feltre has earned his connections over $441,000 from just 26 starts – of which seven have been wins.
Cellarman led home a Magic Millions trifecta result in the day’s feature juvenile race, the listed Wintergarden Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
A $70,000 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale purchase in 2014 from Vinery Stud, Cellarman carried the famous Star Thoroughbreds colours to victory when saluting for Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman.
There were anxious moments for connections post race – they had to survive a protest fired in by Jim Byrne who rode the runner-up Brulee.
Cellarman was able to retain the race and in doing so delight Tasmania’s Alva Stud – through Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock Agency the Tasmanian based nursery purchased his dam Vintage Blend for $46,000 at the recent National Broodmare Sale.
Vintage Blend, who was in foal to Husson, is a half sister to stakes winner Vintner and Group One placed Perfect Drop.
Quality local sprinter Into the Red sent his earnings soaring past $425,000 when he edged out fellow Gold Coast graduate Saluter to win the Group Three WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
A member of the astute Kelso Wood stable, Into the Red was able to notch a fourth stakes win and fifth overall when he got home narrowly.
The son of Not a Single Doubt, a $100,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase in 2012 from Goodwood Farm, was ridden to victory by star apprentice Luke Dittman, son of the former champion jockey Mick.
Into the Red is one of eight winners for the 100 per cent winner producer Red Sequin – an unraced sister to stakes winning and Group One placed sprinter Czar Hero.
Well named filly Sold for Song added a second stakes win to her career record when she beat home a quality line up in the listed Daybreak Lover (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
With boom apprentice James Orman in the saddle, Sold for Song was able to come to the outside of the track in the straight, from near last on the corner, and score nicely.
The filly, who had earlier won a Gold Edition Stakes, is prepared by Kevin Kemp and was purchased by part owner Ian Price for $2,500 at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A daughter of Collate, Sold for Song was sourced from the draft of Burwood Stud and she now boasts earnings of over $300,000.
Perth’s rising three-year-old star Great Shot capped a “magic” day when he led throughout in a dominant victory in the listed Belmont Guineas (1600m) in Perth.
The win was the fifth in just seven starts for the son of Magnus, a $31,000 purchase from the Scenic Lodge draft at the 2014 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Great Shot, who won the Guineas by four and a quarter lengths, is trained by Rhys Radford and is a three quarter brother to Melbourne stakes winner Gawne.
He is also a half brother to the dam of Casino Dancer, a multiple group winner also sold by Magic Millions.
Winner: Miss Cover Girl
Breeding: Monashee Mountain-Tolart (Show a Heart)
Race: Qld Tatt’s RC Tattersall’s Tiara G1 (1400m)
Passed for: $18,000
Sale: 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale
Vendor: Blue Hills Thoroughbreds
Reserve: $20,000
Earnings: $804,900
Owner(s): Ms J Sommerfield, Ted’s Racing (Mgr: KJ O’Keefe) & Jabba Racing (Mgr: BG Taylor)
Trainer: Kelly Schweida (Eagle Farm)
PIC – Dan Costello.
