| Improving mare Paradee gave Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Danny O’Brien his first ever win on Magic Millions Raceday at the Gold Coast with a decisive victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Magic Millions Quality (1800m). |
In a repeat performance of her win in last Saturday’s $250,000 TAB Wave (1800m), the daughter of Epaulette easily defeated Bjorn Baker’s four-year-old gelding Frosty Rocks by 2.75 lengths. After beginning well from barrier nine, jockey Craig Williams elected to roll forward on Paradee and the pair were able to keep the pressure on leader Frosty Rocks before dashing clear at the 200m. O’Brien said Paradee, who was purchased by owner Robert Anderson for $240,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, had thrived since traveling to Queensland. “She won the big Wave race here last week and she came out of it super so we were happy enough to run her again,” O’Brien said. “The weights and measures were against her today but she’s actually won by further so she’s a mare that’s in great form and she’s really thrived with the trip up here. “We didn’t give her a hard spring, she ran four times and then she’s been down to Thirteenth Beach since then and just ticking over. “The prizemoney up here is amazing, it’s a great carnival so we’re thrilled to be up here and thrilled to be winning.” The victory, which was the sixth of Paradee’s 15-start career, edged the mare’s earnings from prizemoney and bonuses past $900,000. Williams was quick to credit O’Brien’s team with their management of the four-year-old. “Danny O’Brien and his team up here, Ben Gleeson and Tom Sadler, they were that confident with the horse and I was confident given the way that she won last week,” Williams said. “Even though the grey horse (Frosty Rocks) met us four kilograms better and had a better draw, I was just confident of her ability and the fact that she’s got confidence.” O’Brien has been extremely active across the first four days of the 2021 Magic Millions Yearling Sale with 16 purchases, including Lot 666, a Zoustar colt from Widden Stud’s draft for $300,000 and Lot 735, a Snitzel colt from Arrowfield Stud for $280,000. |
