South Australian youngster Psychic Mick overcame wet track concerns to demolish his Victorian rivals in today’s listed Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Sent out an easy second favourite with bookmakers, Psychic Mick sat second for much of the race before accelerating brilliantly in the the home straight to zoom past Cheyenne Warrior and win by a three and a quarter length margin.
Named after his yearling sale buyer and senior part owner Michael Duffield, Psychic Mick was racing for the first time since a stylish win at Morphettville on June 2.
That win was the third in three runs for the exciting son of Eliza Park based stallion Shinzig.
Plucked from last year’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, from the Eliza Park draft, Psychic Mick cost just $10,000.
“”We bought him from the sales in Adelaide and my brother-in-law Mick (Duffield), he bought him on a premonition,” delighted trainer Daniel Clarken said after the race.
“Lauren (Stojakovic), who strapped the horse today, asked Mick ‘what do you want to look at’ and he said he didn’t have a catalogue or anything.”
“He said he wanted to look at lot 118 – he had a premonition. So went and had a look at him and the rest is history.”
“That’s how he got his name,” he added with a laugh.
“We pulled him out (at the sales) and he was a good type of horse. We thought he would have to spend a bit more money than what we did but we bought him with one bid for $10,000,”Clarken added.
Clarken was more hopeful than confident leading into today’s race – his first outside his home state.
“It’s hard to line up the form from Adelaide, but he couldn’t have done anymore at home and his trial the other day was very good.”
“He travelled well to the corner and really let down nice,” Clarken added.
Psychic Mick holds an entry for the $1 million Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October and connections are confident he will relish slightly longer distances.
“I’ve always thought he would be a miler,” Clarken said.
Winning rider Chris Symons was delighted with the success – giving him plenty to smile about on his birthday.
“It was a really good win,” Symons said.
“We didn’t go out there with a game plan – just to have him where he was happy.”
“He appears a versatile horse. I just put him in the spot and he did the rest,” Symons added.
The first stakes winner for Danehill’s CF Orr Stakes winning son Shinzig, Psychic Mick is the first named foal for the Melbourne winning Bianconi mare Super Fund.
Super Fund, a winner at 1200 and 1400 metres, is a half sister to the stakes placed and 26 time winner Lascaux – a one time Aussie galloper who was sold to Macau where he earned over $1.7 million.
Winner: Psychic Mick
Breeding: Shinzig-Super Fund (Bianconi)
Race: MRC Vain Stakes LR (1100m)
Sold for: $10,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale
Vendor: Eliza Park (As Agent)
Buyer: Michael Duffield
Earnings: $143,800
Owner(s): M Duffield & DM Bowden
Trainer: Daniel Clarken (Morphettville)
