Written by Jesse Dart
Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Some notable racing took place at Launceston and Bunbury on Saturday, with two fillies stamping their abilities and indicating bigger targets in the near and distant future are firmly in their grasp.
Ms Tasmania climbs to new heights in Magic Millions Launceston 2YO Classic
Trainer Sigrid Carr looks to have a promising juvenile in her care, with the all-female owned Ms Tasmania (Magnus) a dominant, and popular, winner of the Magic Millions Launceston 2YO Classic on Sunday.
Shuffled back through the field under Carr, who pulls double duty as the jockey and trainer of the filly, she was out in plenty of time rounding the corner into the short Launceston straight, and had put the race to bed to the point that she was high in the irons waving her crop while still 30 metres shy of the post.
The gesture, if not well-received by stewards, was by the ownership group, who had conglomerated just after the post, who were in jubilant scenes, throwing headwear in the air as they celebrated their fillies success in the $85,000 feature.
While not a stakes race, the Magic Millions Launceston 2YO Classic is a highlight on the racing calendar in Tasmania, and provides a perfect springboard for races such as the Listed Gold Sovereign S. later this month.
Ms Tasmania was purchased for $30,000 less than 12 months ago at the 2023 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale out of the draft of Motree Thoroughbreds, with Sigrid Carr Racing already close to returning four times their investment in prizemoney.
Ms Tasmania as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The win gives the daughter of Magnus her second success from three career starts to date, and her win here was an echo of the name of her dam, Breathtaking (Squamosa). She was a five-time winner on the Apple Isle, and Ms Tasmania has gotten her career as a producer off to a flying start.
She slipped in 2022, so she will not have an offering at the 2024 edition of the Tasmanian sale, and tragically lost her filly by Lucky Vega (Ire), who was born in 2023. She was a late visitor to Stratosphere in 2023, having only been served on December 23.
There has been a strong history of success in Tasmania with this family, most notably the 2-year-old star Admiral (Mossman), who won no less than six times as a juvenile, including a feature double in the Listed Elwick S. and the Listed Gold Sovereign S.
Breeders’ Classic goes the way of Petula in a riveting finish
The Listed Western Australian Breeders’ Classic returned to its Bunbury home, with the Simon Miller-trained filly Petula (Nicconi) rocketing home late to grab Stormchaser (Impending) in a cracking finish.
It’s a welcome return to form for veteran jockey Patrick Carbery, who has had a period where his brilliant best has been elusive, as well as having lost the ride for the star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) as Miller took her east in the spring.
Carbery had Petula settled in the second half of the field, and was happy to make his run down the centre of the track, with the pair claiming Clint Johnston-Porter and Stormchaser in the final 50 metres to claim a valuable black-type success.
She is the first foal to race for the Ready’s Image (USA) mare Run Sally Run, who was a speed demon in her racing career, winning five races over a distance of 1000 metres. Her success provides Nicconi, himself no stranger to producing smart speedy types, his 30th stakes winner, alongside names such as Nature Strip and Graceful Girl.
For Simon Miller and connections the rise of the filly has proven to be a successful one, with just $30,000 outlayed to bring her across the Nullabor from the 2021 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale out of the draft of Macquarie Stud.
Petula, winner of the Listed Western Australian Breeders’ Classic at Bunbury on Sunday | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
The race has proven itself to be a good guide for which 3-year-olds can measure up as older horses; in 2022 Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) took out the race and would claim the G1 Railway S., while the 2021 winner Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon) went on to win the G2 Let’s Elope S. at Flemington.
Sapphire Street (Street Boss {USA}) battled on gamely for third, while Play Dice (Playing God) was able to grab fourth.
