Eagle Farm, G3 Magic Millions Vo Rogue Plate, 1400m, $300,000
Race summary:
Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) confirmed his favouritism for the Magic Millions Guineas on January 11 with an easy win in Saturday’s dress rehearsal.
Ridden by Ryan Maloney, the star gelding was handily placed throughout the race and cruised to the front at the top of the home straight. He quickly put the result beyond doubt, kicking away to win by two lengths from Profit (Dundeel {NZ}) and Eleven Eleven (Fastnet Rock).
The David Vandyke-trained Alligator Blood has now had eight starts for seven wins, the only defeat coming with his second placing in the G1 Caulfield Guineas – beaten by Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}) in a photo finish.
Alligator Blood has now won three stakes races and has earned $939,250 for owners Ezybonds No 1.
Pedigree notes:
Alligator Blood was bred by Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud and was a $55,000 purchase at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is one of 13 individual stakes winners for All Too Hard, who has sired a total of 188 winners from 306 runners.
His dam is the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Lake Superior, a half-sister to the Listed winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice) and stakes placegetters Chateau Margaux (Redoute’s Choice) and Monteux (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}). Lake Superior is the dam of two winners from three foals to race.
The second dam is Kylikwong (Red Ransom {USA}), who placed in the G1 VRC Oaks, Australasian Oaks and VRC Sires’ Produce S. She is a full-sister to the six-time Group 1 winner and Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}), as well as the multiple stakes winner Red Element (Red Ransom {USA}).
The third dam, Tracy’s Element (Last Tycoon {Ire}), was champion 2-year-old filly and champion older classic mare in South Africa in the early 1990s. She won 11 races including the G1 Smirnoff Bloodline Sprint, Computaform Sprint, South African Fillies’ Sprint S. and Star Sprint.
Eagle Farm, G3 Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan S., 1200m, $250,000
Race summary:
$1.4 million yearling King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) earned a shot at the Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a convincing victory at Eagle Farm.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, the colt settled in third position after Every Rose (Choisir) kicked through inside him to take the lead.
Every Rose sprinted well at the top of the straight and looked hard to catch, but King’s Legacy worked through his gears in the straight and wore her down to win by half a length. Euphoric Summer (Not a Single Doubt) ran on from midfield to finish third, almost three lengths adrift of the first pair.
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden for one of James Harron’s colts syndicates, King’s Legacy has now had two starts for a win, a second placing and $150,000 in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
King’s Legacy was bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and was purchased by James Harron for $1.4 million at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is by the late, great Redoute’s Choice, the sire of 1107 winners from 1450 runners including 169 individual stakes winners.
King’s Legacy is the first foal to race for Breakfast in Bed (Hussonet {USA}), who won seven races and placed in the Listed Nudgee H., Just Now H. and Gai Waterhouse Classic.
Breakfast in Bed is a half-sister to Oohood (I Am Invincible), who won the G1 Flight S. and placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce S., Caulfield Guineas and Blue Diamond.
King’s Legacy’s second dam Bella Sunday (Sunday Silence {USA}) is a half-sister to the star stallion Not a Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice), along with the dams of four other stakes winners.
Since producing King’s Legacy in the spring of 2017, Breakfast in Bed has had filly foals by Redoute’s Choice and I Am Invincible. She was served by Pierro in the spring of 2019.
Eagle Farm, Listed Magic Millions Bernborough H., 1600m, $200,000
Race summary:
Niccanova (Nicconi) prevailed in a thrilling finish, holding out Looks Like Elvis (All American) by a neck.
Jockey Brad Stewart gave Looks Like Elvis every possible chance, working across from barrier 14 to enjoy a cosy run along the rail. But Niccanova, who worked forward in the back straight to take the lead, refused to surrender to Looks Like Elvis’ challenge.
The two fought an exciting battle to the line, with Niccanova fighting too strongly and holding on. He was ridden by James Orman for trainer Steve Tregea.
Niccanova has now had 23 starts for nine wins, six placings and $689,175 in prize-money for owner-breeders Windemere Stud.
This was his fourth stakes win, joining the G3 Fred Best Classic and the Listed Brisbane H. and Tatt’s Recognition S. in the trophy cabinet.
Pedigree notes:
Niccanova is one of 18 individual stakes winners for under-rated sire Nicconi, whose name has been put in lights this season by star sprinter Nature Strip. Overall, Nicconi has sired 317 winners from 425 runners.
Niccanova is out of the unraced Snippets mare Dananova, whose second dam Tarasova (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) is a full-sister to Captiva (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), who won the Listed Silver Jubilee S. and placed in the G1 VRC Oaks, G1 Thousand Guineas and G2 Edward Manifold S.
Tarasova is also a half-sister to Listed winner Adagietto (NZ) (Sackford {USA}), and to the dam of Packing Winner (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who won the Listed Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup and placed in the G1 Hong Kong Cup.
Eagle Farm, Listed Magic Millions Nudgee S., 1200m, $200,000
Race summary:
Tahitian Dancer (Dawn Approach {IRE}) produced a scintillating finishing burst to record her first win at stakes level.
The race was run at a frenetic pace, with Spirit’s Choice (Spirit of Boom) charging out to a three-length lead over Sugar Boom (Spirit of Boom) and Epic Girl (Shamus Award). In a widely strung out field, Tahitian Dancer dropped back to last.
But the leaders’ exertions began to take their toll in the straight, and Tahitian Dancer and jockey Damien Oliver stormed home to narrowly beat Multaja (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) in a tight finish. Epic Girl held on gamely for third.
The Shane Nichols-trained Tahitian Dancer has now had five wins from 16 starts, earning $350,000 in stakes for her 17 owners.
This was the first black-type win for the 4-year-old, who had previously run third behind Mystic Journey (Needs Further) in the Listed Jim Moloney S.
Pedigree notes:
Tahitian Dancer was offered by co-breeders Willow Park Stud at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she was sold for $80,000.
She is the 11th individual stakes winner for Dawn Approach (Ire), who won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and has made an early impact in both hemispheres as a sire. His standout performers in this part of the world include Dawn Patrol (NZ), who has won the G3 Sweynesse S. and placed in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, along with the Listed winners Diamond Thunder and Dawn Passage.
Tahitian Dancer is out of Takanori (Vital Equine {Ire}), who won four races including the Listed Western Australian Breeders’ Classic. Her half-brother Tee Emar (Mossman) placed in the G3 Rough Habit Plate and Listed Hill Smith S.
Second dam Nishikawa (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) is a half-sister to the G2 Apollo S. winner Alma’s Fury (Refuse to Bend {Ire}), the G3 Doomben Classic winner Enforced (Snippets) and the stakes-placed Daneforce (Danzero). Takanori is the dam of two winners from two foals to race. Tahitian Dancer’s younger half-sister Arigato (Choisir) has been a winner over 1000 metres this season.
Takanori had a colt foal by So You Think (NZ) in 2017, and colts by Lonhro and Spirit of Boom in 2018 and 2019. She was served by Nicconi this season.
Randwick, Listed Christmas Classic, 1200m, $150,000
Race summary:
With a gutsy performance, Madam Rouge (Zoustar) took the spoils in Randwick’s sprint feature on Saturday.
The 4-year-old was caught wide and had to cover a lot of extra ground in the running, but still had enough left in the tank to respond to the urgings of jockey Kathy O’Hara in the straight. She surged to the front and went clear, winning by a length and a quarter from Glenall (Redoute’s Choice) and Albumin (Foxwedge).
Trained by Chris Waller and racing in the colours of part-owner Noel Greenhalgh, Madam Rouge has now had 16 starts for four wins, four placings and $409,965 in stakes. This was her second stakes win, having captured the G3 Nivison at Randwick on October 26.
Pedigree notes:
Madam Rouge was bred by Widden Stud and GW Evers Pty Ltd. She was a $310,000 purchase by Waller and Guy Mulcaster at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is one of 13 individual stakes winners for Zoustar, who has sired a total of 105 winners from 176 runners to date.
Madam Rouge is out of the Al Maher mare Cabernet, who won six races including the Listed Summoned S. and placed in the G3 Herald Sun S. and Listed Aspiration H. Cabernet is the dam of two winners from two foals to race.
Second dam Golden Weekend (Nine Carat {USA}) won three races including the Listed Triscay S., while fourth dam Paris Weekend (Gielgud {USA}) was a stakes winner and placed in the G1 Champagne S. Paris Weekend was the dam of Listed Aurie’s Star H. winner Monet Rules (Commands).
Cabernet produced a filly by Sebring in 2016, a colt by Pride of Dubai in 2017, a colt by Lonhro in 2018 and a colt by Fighting Sun in 2019. The mare returned to Lonhro this season.
