Women’s bonus has Baker in search of more Magic on the Gold Coast

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

The Magic Millions women’s bonus, which offers $500,000 to be distributed between the first four all-female-owned horses home in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, as well as $250,000 for the first four all-female-owned horses home in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, has been nothing short of a roaring success, with no better example than when Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) took out the former at last year’s Magic Millions raceday.

A brilliant incentive to try and increase the number of women in racehorse ownership, the bonus scheme is what prompted Kiwi horsewoman Sophie Baker, who took up an admin role with leading trainer Chris Waller when she made the move across the Tasman to Australia, to purchase her first yearling under her own name at this very sale in 2021 - and it’s fair to say she hasn’t looked back since.

“The idea came about a few years ago when Katie Page (Harvey) came up with this outstanding incentive to encourage more women into racing with the Magic Millions women’s bonus,” she told The Thoroughbred Report.

“I’d been coming to the sales with Chris for a few years and I asked him if he’d mind if I put together an all-women’s horse, which he agreed to.

“With the help of our bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster, who is well-known in the industry for picking out Winx and a number of our other Group 1-winning horses, we picked out our first horse, which was Madame Pommery.”

Having syndicated her out to a bunch of enthusiastic women, Madame Pommery won a Sydney metropolitan race on her second start as a 2-year-old before taking her owners on the ride of a lifetime during her 3-year-old year.

The daughter of former Coolmore shuttler No Nay Never (USA) earned lucrative black-type when finishing runner-up to her Group 1-winning stablemate Zougotcha (Zoustar) in the G2 Tea Rose S., but took her form to a whole new level when beating G1 Blue Diamond S. placegetter Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution) in the G1 Thosuand Guineas at Caulfield.

Never in Baker’s wildest dreams did she envisage Madame Pommery reaching the heights she has, having paid $150,000 for her in conjunction with Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock, a price that returned over $100,000 below the sale average for that particular year.

“We never dreamed she would be a Group 1 winner, we just wanted the women to have a bit of fun,” she said.

“We want the horse to go through the education phase well, get to the track, get through to a trial and hope it gets to the races. Then if it wins a race, outstanding, but to win a Group 1 was just incredible.

“These women have had so much fun, especially given that Pommery is a very popular champagne. I think every woman loves champagne and there’s plenty of that being drunk.”

Repeating the feat

Buoyed by Madame Pommery’s success, Baker signed the docket in conjunction with Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for two more fillies at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - a filly by Zousain and a filly by Yes Yes Yes, both of whom were trained by Waller himself, who have subsequently been named Collerette and Pear Bellini to continue the champagne theme.

Baker also struck earlier this week when securing a filly (Lot 182) by Darley’s first-season sire Bivouac, parting with $250,000 to land the half-sister to Group placegetters Elkington Road (All Too Hard) and Rocket Fuel (Smart Missile).

“We bought a Bivouac filly this week and she’s out of a mare (Sherbet Bomb) who has had four to the races for four winners,” Baker said.

“She’s a beautiful horse, she’s very attractive and a lovely mover. We’re hoping that she’ll be an early type and one to target the women’s bonus in the Magic Millions 2-year-old race next year.”

A talented horsewoman in her own right, Baker has enlisted the help of leading bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster, who is widely regarded as one of the best judges in the industry, to assist with her selection process.

“I rely heavily on Guy Mulcaster, he’s one of the best in the business,” she said. “He knows what I want, we want fillies with a bit of residual value and we want to try and get a 2-year-old that will hopefully come back to the Magic Millions race next year.

“Guy will give me a shortlist and then I’ll have a look at those to see if I like them, then we just see how we go.

“I’m not actually in the horses myself, but to see the horses running in my colours and the thrill that these women are getting from being involved is fantastic. It’s what it’s all about.”

Baker, whose position in the Waller set up has grown organically in line with the stable’s expansion over the past decade, could hardly be more complimentary of the Magic Millions women’s bonus scheme, and has witnessed first-hand that the initiative is having the desired effect.

“I would never have even thought to put these horses together if Katie (Page) hadn’t come up with the idea,” she said.

“It has been outstanding. We’ve got functions now, events that bring all the women together, we come to the sales, it’s just great.

“We’ve obviously got Madame Pommery’s ownership group still involved each year, but we’re now bringing in a lot more new clients to join in the ownership and have a bit of fun.

“The great thing is you don’t even need to win the race to get the bonus. You could run seventh, but if you're the first all ladies-owned horse across the line you get the bonus.”