| Snapdancer led the way with a Group One performance on a day Magic Millions sold graduates dominated across Australasia. |
| In notching the first Group One win for her rider Ethan Brown, Snapdancer made it 10 stakes wins on the day sold at auction by Magic Millions. The daughter of Choisir, a $180,000 purchase for Spicer Thoroughbreds in 2018, led home fellow Magic Millions heroine Away Game in an exciting edition of the Group One Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville. Prepared by the powerful Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable at Ballarat, Snapdancer shot to big race fame when she won January’s $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies & Mares feature at the Gold Coast. Today’s length and a half success was the first at racing’s elite level for 23-year-old Alice Springs born, Melbourne based rider Ethan Brown. “I can’t really believe it,” a beaming Brown said post race. “To get my first Group One here for Ciaron and David and for Brad Spicer it’s just amazing – I can’t believe it.” “I can’t explain the feeling. I’ve been in that situation a couple of times and got run down, but the feel she was giving me I was confident a fair way out. It’s so surreal at the moment.” “She jumped well and she got a nice lead and she was placed well, well trained by Ciaron and David who had her nice and fit.” For Maher the win capped off a memorable week after a memorable three day Warrnambool Cup Carnival where his success was led by Grand Annual winner Heberite. “As it was on the Gold Coast, the most important thing with her is the start,” Maher said of Snapdancer. “I drilled it into Ethan – I said if you get the start, the rest is easy!” “I was very surprised how easy she got across. It’s a great result for Brad Spicer and the whole crew. The team have done a great job with her. She’s been up a long time from January.” “She’s a Group One winner and she’s well bred. She’ll probably go back to the Magic Millions (Raceday) – the boys seem to like it up there!” Runner-up Away Game produced yet another first class performance when she chased home Snapdancer into a wonderful second placing. “Gee Away Game – what an amazing run,” Maher said. “I’m so proud of her effort again today. She’s so tough!” Away Game is one of over 180 stakes performed fillies or mares heading to the upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast. A half sister to the stakes performer Drago, Snapdancer was purchased from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2018 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She’s earned almost $1.3 million from just 18 runs and is the latest Group One winner for her sire, the former globe trotting sprint sensation Choisir. A three quarter sister to Snapdancer, by hot freshman sire The Mission, is catalogued as Lot 524 for the National Broodmare Sale – the unnamed two-year-old is in the Blue Sky Premium Consignment draft. Earlier in the day on the Morphettville card Seradess notched the third stakes success of her impressive career when a runaway winner in the Group Two Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m) for three-year-0lds. The daughter of Astern led throughout in a powerful performance under Craig Williams for the father-son training team of Mark and Levi Kavanagh. Mark purchased the filly for $50,000 from the Mill Park Stud draft at the 2020 Adelaide Yearling Sale and she’s already the winner of over $370,000 from just nine starts. Free of Debt staked his claim for the Group One Goodwood Handicap with a thrilling success in the Group Two DC McKay Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville. Under the urgings of Dom Tourneur, the son of Unencumbered drove late and edged out reigning Goodwood winner Savatoxl in a powerful performance. Free of Debt is trained at the track by Chris Bieg and was purchased by the trainer for $30,000 from the Phoenix Broodmare Farm draft at the 2018 Adelaide Yearling Sale. Splendiferous provided her all female ownership group with plenty to cheer about when she scored a dominant win in the Listed Port Adelaide Cup (2500m) also on the Morphettville card. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott prepared daughter of Pride of Dubai cruised home an easy winner under Craig Williams. A half sister to group winner Ballistic Boy, Splendiferous was a $100,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for leading bloodstock agent James Bester – purchased from the draft of Aquis Farm. The first of the Adelaide features, the Listed Without Fear Stakes (1050m) was won by the well fancied local filly Aitch Two Oh. The Headwater youngster, a $65,000 Adelaide Yearling Sale purchase last year from the Baramul Stud draft, will likely clash next with her smart stablemate See You in Heaven after her feature win today. Aitch Two Oh is prepared by the father-daughter training team of Richard and Chantelle Jolly. It was a real family success story with the filly being strapped by Richard’s son James and ridden by Chantelle’s partner Jake Toeroek. The Gold Coast played host to their second biggest meeting of the year and one of the day’s features saw a titanic battle between Prince of Boom and Sword of State in the Gold Coast Guineas at Group Three level. Prince of Boom (Spirit of Boom) got his nose down under James Orman when it mattered to snare the prize for trainer Robert Heathcote. The winner is turning out an incredible value buy. He was purchased at the 2020 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale by Adrenaline Thoroughbreds from the draft of Eureka Stud. As it stands he’s won his connections $648,000 from just eight starts. Nettuno gave favourite punters plenty to cheer about at the Coast when he led home a Magic Millions sold 1-2-3 in the Group Three Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) for two-year-olds. The Tony Gollan prepared son of I Am Invincible was handled today by Ryan Maloney and the pair proved too strong. Gollan said the rising star would be spelled with spring ambitions in mind. From the group winner Saint Minerva, Nettuno was purchased by Gollan in conjunction with John Foote and Black Soil Bloodstock from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the Gold Coast last year for an even $500,000. Dzsenifer produced the best first up run of her career when she scored a valuable win in the Listed Silk Stocking Handicap (1200m) at the Gold Coast. Prepared by Gary “Jack” Duncan, Dzsenifer proved too strong under Ben Thompson to beat home April Rain and Cafe Royal in the fillies and mares feature. The daughter of Scissor Kick is turning out an incredible purchase for Duncan who parted with $32,000 for her from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She’s won over $418,000 already. Cheeky Choice’s grandson Blondeau added more black type to his impressive family when he scored a tough win in today’s Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford. Prepared by Chris Waller, Blondeau was yet another stakes star today coming off a Magic Millions Raceday run. In January he was eighth in the MM Snippets won by Isotope (Away Game was third). Blondeau was a $360,000 purchase for Waller and Guy Mulcaster from the draft of Baramul Stud and his earnings have now soared over $500,000. Lord Cosmos rounded out an incredible day for Magic Millions graduates when he finished too well for his rivals in the juvenile listed feature at Te Rapa in New Zealand. A $140,000 National Weanling Sale buy for Jimmy Frank from the Newgate Consignment, Lord Cosmos was bred by the race owners of his sire and fellow Magic Millions sold star Pierro, Greg and Donna Kolivos. Lord Cosmos is a two time winner and is twice placed from five lifetime starts. He carries the famous tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing and is trained by Mark Walker. Winner: Snapdancer Breeding: Choisir-Snapdragon (Galileo) Breeder: Katom Race: SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes G1 (1200m) Sold for: $180,000 Sale: 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Vendor: Sledmere Stud (As Agent) Buyer: Spicer Thoroughbreds/Darren Weir Racing Earnings: $1,294,570 Owners: B Spicer, Brut Racing 1 (Mgr: L Barker), G Palatinus, Ms A Barabas, B Sokolski, P Blundell, B Felstead, Brut Racing 2 (Mgr: L Barker), S Wootten, Z Angelovski, M Sparkes, Mrs K Sparkes, B Healy, A Dowie, T Healy, E Clarke, Mrs R Clarke & M Lasky Trainer(s): Ciaron Maher & David Eustace (Ballarat) |
