Cover Image Courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained daughter of Piping Hot (More Than Ready {USA}) was already the hot favourite for the race before her second Group 3 victory in only two starts.
Coolangatta | Image courtesy of Sportpix
She jumped in yesterday’s BJ McMahon S. at Doomben over 1200 metres as the $1.30 favourite and when she put paid to a talented field you can be sure Coolangatta was being wound in for the big one next month before she even passed the winner’s post. She was already a $2 favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
James McDonald got Coolangatta off to a handy start as one of the best to jump and even head the field early. Palazzo Spirit (Spirit Of Boom) inside of her and Swiss Exile (Pariah) and Extremaarty (Extreme Choice) put plenty of pressure on the filly, with Extremaarty pushing hard deep to take up the lead.
Coolangatta sat off in second and travelled along nicely and needed only a little squeeze from McDonald to kick and shoot clear by 3l in just a handful of strides to put the field away in a flash. Ridden along and to the line it was a comfortable 2l victory.
Thelwell (Bel Esprit) finished well for second, with Swiss Exile looming strong into the straight but unable to make ground on the winner and finishing third. The Jamie Richards-trained Bright Blue Sky (Fastnet Rock) worked from the tail of the field to finish fourth, and will need another start with a better result, and prizemoney, if it is to have another shot at Coolangatta in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic as was Richards plan.
Coolangatta was sold at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $280,000 as part of the Milburn Creek draft to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
Coolangatta as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Yesterday a very relaxed John Muir watched the star that was born and raised on his Wildes Meadow, NSW, property for breeder John Warren, from the banks of the Clarence River and was very impressed.
“She showed maturity. She got bustled a bit too and I was glad the way she finished it off,’’ Muir said.
“That kick. It was good, wasn’t it?
“That kick. It was good, wasn’t it?’’ - John Muir
“Technically the breeder is John Warren but the mare lives at our place, we did the mating for him and we’ve done the whole lot. John Warren is entitled to the credit as the breeder but really we bred her. And my Stud Manager Scott Holcombe arranged the mating and raised her so he has been instrumental in this horse.’’
John Warren (L), Lady Carolyn Warren and John Muir
Her dam, Canterbury and Newcastle winner, Piping Hot, was a $320,000 purchase by John and Jake Warren at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is a half-sister to Blue Diamond winner Reaan (Hussonet {USA}) and is dam to the impressive Snitzonfire (Snitzel), a $425,000 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, again from Milburn Creek’s draft, purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott who trained the gelding to three quickfire wins in a row from debut over a month this Spring.
Piping Hot as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
We can expect to see Snitzonfire also on Magic Millions day in the 3YO Guineas.
“As a matter of fact Gai called me (after the race) to say ‘congratulations’ she was very impressed with the win. He’s heading for the Magic Millions too, the 3-year-olds 1200 metre race. That’s the plan at the moment,’’ Muir said.
Snitzonfire | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Piping Hot is a daughter of the G2 Moonee Valley Oaks winner Ribe (Danehill {USA}). Piping Hot’s 2020 foal, a filly by Dundeel (NZ), will go to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in April.
John and Trish Muir and the team at Milburn Creek have been around the Magic Millions action in the past.
Jon Freyer, John Muir (C) and Paul Messara
“We bred that Hinchinbrook filly, Flying Jess that won (the Magic Millions 2YO Classic) a couple of years ago at 100:1,’’ said Muir.
He added that Coolangatta was overlooked by some at the yearling Sale.
“Coolangatta was a very nice filly but she was probably dismissed by a few people, I don’t know why but that’s what happens when you go to yearling sales,’’ Muir said.
“Probably in that very minute of her life she wasn’t as precocious as some people thought but, Ciaron Maher thought she was, and he put a fairly big syndicate together to buy her.
“It’s a great privilege to do that work for John Warren who, as you know, is the Queen’s racing manager, and he trusts these horses with us.’’
“It’s a great privilege to do that work for John Warren who, as you know, is the Queen’s racing manager, and he trusts these horses with us.’’ - John Muir
With strong representation by the hot favorite in the race and a chance in the 3YO Guineas, the Muirs are finalising their plans to be trackside for the big day and very active across the Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast.
