The $3 million question: Who will perform in the 2YO Gold Coast Classic?

Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions

Attention in the racing world is beginning to shift towards the Magic Millions Carnival on the Gold Coast.

Past winners of the feature Magic Millions 2YO Classic include the likes of Group victors General Nediym, Testa Rossa, Dance Hero (Danzero), Mimi Lebrock (Show A Heart) and Karuta Queen (Not A Single Doubt).

In recent times, Capitalist won in 2016, Sunlight (Zoustar) in 2018 and Away Game (Snitzel) in 2020. Exhilarates (Snitzel) won in 2019, Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}) in 2021 and the outstanding Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) in 2022.

Gallery: Past winners of the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic

This year’s winner Storm Boy (Justify{USA}) went on to salute in the G2 Jewellers Skyline S. in March, before finishing third in the G1 Golden Slipper.

His road to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic involved a win on debut in a 2YO Handicap worth $160,000 and over 1100 metres at Rosehill on December 2 last year, beating this year’s Run to the Rose victor Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) by 2.3l.

Three weeks later and in his second start, the star colt again won with ease in the G3 BJ McLachlan S. over 1200 metres, going through the gears comfortably on the Eagle Farm straight to prevail by 2.4l.

This gave the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained sprinter the perfect preparation for a dominant performance in the time-honoured Gold Coast feature for 2-year-olds, again well and truly burning his opponents beyond the turn to prevail by 2.5l.

The Magic Millions 2YO Classic field is still taking shape, with acceptances closing on January 6, and the barrier draw the next day.

Next Wednesday will see the Magic Millions Wyong Raceday take place, with the winner likely to make the field, and the G3 BJ McLachlan S. at Eagle Farm is also an important qualifier on December 21.

Last year’s Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic winner, Highness (Snitzel), went on to finish runner-up to Storm Boy in this year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

In the meantime, The Thoroughbred Report looked at five talented colts and fillies who should line up in next year’s version.

The road for the fillies

Good-looking filly Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible) won her only start thus far – the Listed Aquis Stallions Phelan Ready 2YO Plate on November 30 – courtesy of her seemingly effortless long strides across the Doomben straight in the 1100-metre sprint worth $200,000.

Gollan Racing/Jennifer Acton bought Hi Barbie for $1.2 million from Yarraman Park Stud at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Champion Queensland trainer Tony Gollan remarked after the race how nervous he was that Hi Barbie would make her debut on a Heavy 10 surface.

He need not have worried, his filly displaying the kind of composure that will make her hard to beat in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

By Champion Sire I Am Invincible, Hi Barbie is out of Spirit Of Boom mare and 2020 Magic Millions Handicap winner Outback Barbie, of which she is her first runner.

“She's bigger than mum, but she's very similar. She's shown me a great deal more at this stage,” Gollan said.

He added the athletically-gifted Hi Barbie could be a “weapon”, with plenty of racing to come, and is now looking at the Magic Millions 2YO Classic next month, where he believes she'll take some beating.

“There's a whole lot in store for her - hopefully some of it is this January. Who knows?” Gollan said of the second favourite, at $11 to win.

“You've seen only a glimpse of what she can do. You get her on better ground and she can be an absolute weapon.”

The G3 Gimcrack S. offers a common pattern for fillies to go on and perform well in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, with brilliant now 5-year-old dam Coolangatta winning this race in 2021, before saluting in the 2022 version on the famous Glitter Strip.

Memo (Capitalist) is a filly currently valued as an $11 winning chance for Peter Snowden, who finished third in the Gimcrack S. on October 5.

Snowden Racing bought her for $350,000 from Newgate Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Memo was the second of three foals out of stakes-placed Notation (Fastnet Rock), who ran a close second to Sweet Deal (Casino Prince) in the G3 Tibbie S.

Memo set the Randwick-Kensington turf alight in her trial on September 23, showing a supreme turn of foot racing away from the pack to post 33.45s for her last 600 metres.

“Everything he (Capitalist) had, she’s got,” Snowden said after the trial.

“The Capitalists always get to the track and they get there fairly early, so you haven’t got to wait too long. If they’re going to be any good, they’ll be good early.”

Memo was also impressive in her trial for 2-year-old fillies over 900 metres at Canterbury on Tuesday, winning in 55.81s.

It was enough for the Snowden team to say her next start would be the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic next Wednesday, with her target being the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

“She had a lovely trial, and we're looking to nominating her for next Wednesday at Wyong,” Snowden's Racing and Bloodstock Manager, Colum McCullagh, told The Thoroughbred Report.

“It's a stepping stone towards the Gold Coast, and we're giving her every chance of getting there.

“She's had a faultless preparation, and it was a big tick from Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle (on Tuesday). He said she felt super and went through her gears beautifully.

“She's an exciting filly going forward, and she's got that Gimcrack placing under her belt already. She's very versatile, which is going to get her a long way, especially in these high-pressure, high-tempo races.”

After winning on debut in the Ranvet Maiden 2YO Plate at Warwick Farm on October 16, Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}) then went on to finish fourth and second respectively in the G3 Golden Gift and the Ranvet 2YO Handicap, both at Rosehill.

Ciaron Maher Bloodstock bought her for $300,000 from Sledmere Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Sire Blue Point (Ire) has produced 13 stakes winners, with Icarian Dream the first winner for dam, Teebo (Stryker).

Icarian Dream was among the early favourites for the Gimcrack S. after trialling brilliantly at the official Randwick 2YO trials.

But she came in season, meaning her debut was moved back to the Ranvet Maiden 2YO Plate over 1000 metres.

“It’s a really good start. She can now map a path towards the Magic Millions,” trainer Ciaron Maher said after she won that race.

Maher's racing manager Reece Murphy said the plan for Icarian Dream was to start her in the BJ McLachlan S. at Eagle Farm on December 21, as a lead-up race.

“Most likely she'll run in the McLachlan, and then into the 2-year-old race,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.

“She's definitely up there with our top horses for the Magic Millions. She's fit and well, and her form's good enough.

“She keeps improving with racing, so hopefully she runs well next start and that'll get her into the race.”

It was The Playwright (Written By) who beat Icarian Dream by 0.19l on debut in the Ranvet 2YO Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday, the Waterhouse and Bott-trained filly currently a $15 winning chance for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

The Playwright was a $60,000 purchase by Tricolours Racing & Syndications from Newhaven Park at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

By Written By, the 9-year-old sire has produced four stakes winners.

She is out of Snitzel mare Sugarparma, who has produced four winners.

In the Ranvet 2YO Handicap, The Playwright shared the mid-race lead and displayed great tenacity to kick on the Rosehill straight, scoring by a long head over the fast-finishing $2.90 favourite, Icarian Dream.

After the race, Bott said The Playwright had also shown good ability at home and in her two barrier trials.

“She has shown tremendous improvement throughout the preparation,” he said.

“The improvement we saw from her first trial to her second was very encouraging and I thought, late in that trial she floated around but every time they challenged her, she responded and that is exactly what we saw (on Saturday).”

Bott said The Playwright would have another run before the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, but indicated next Wednesday's Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic might be a little early.

“There are a couple of races at the end of December we can look at,” he said.

“There is the Wyong Magic Millions race, that may come up a bit quick. We will just let her get over (Saturday) and she will need another run so we will make an assessment.”

The road for the colts

A proven pathway to victory for colts in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic is via the G3 Breeders Plate, with Shaqero the last to win both in 2020-21, the now 6-year-old saluting in the G3 feature sprint on debut.

Tempestuous (Extreme Choice) finished runner-up in this year’s version of the Breeders Plate also on debut, and is the early $8 favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

And in his 2YO trial for colts and geldings over 740 metres at Randwick last Tuesday, Tempestuous never looked like being beaten, saluting by 1.75l.

The precocious sprinter was a $375,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from Newgate Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is by Extreme Choice, who produced Melbourne Cup winner Knights Choice, and is the first winner for dam, Windradyne (GB) (Sepoy).

While trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott lost Breeders Plate victor King Kirk (Ole Kirk) to a tragic drowning incident at Randwick last week, they believe Tempestuous is a genuine Magic Millions 2YO Classic hopeful, alongside stablemate The Playwright.

Bott said Tempestuous was leading the charge based off his Breeders Plate performance, and was a Wyong Magic Millions type.

Despite finishing fourth in the Listed Merson Cooper S. last start at Caulfield on Saturday, Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon) received praise from co-trainer Ben Hayes after winning by 1l on debut in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on November 5.

Following that victory, Hayes said Tycoon Star could be a strong contender in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

“He’s qualified. He’s very professional and a very good learner. He’s got a great action and holds his head well,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.

“It (the Maribyrnong Plate win) was really good. He’s always very professional, and he’s a professional racehorse.”

Tycoon Star was a $400,000 purchase by Lindsay Park Racing from Yulong at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

By Written Tycoon who has produced 69 stakes winners, including 2022 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Coolangatta, Tycoon Star is out of Miss Iano (Equiano {Fr}).

Tycoon Star was her first winner from three foals.

Stablemate Bacash (Cosmic Force) finished runner-up to Tycoon Star in the Maribyrnong Plate, and is a $26 winning chance for the 2025 Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

Lindsay Park Racing purchased the young sprinter for $200,000 from Robyn Wise at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, before he finished fifth on debut in the Listed Magic Millions Debutant S. at Caulfield on October 16.

Sire Cosmic Force has produced 20 winners from 101 named foals, while dam Classique (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) has produced two winners from five foals.

Albany Road (Exceed And Excel) is another potential starter for the Waterhouse-Bott stable.

He was a $650,000 purchase by Suman Hedge Bloodstock FBAA/Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott from Rosemont Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Albany Road is by Champion Sire Exceed And Excel and out of Miss Toorak Flyer (Toorak Toff), who has produced two winners from five foals.

He is unraced after starting in two trials, winning his last one over 740 metres at Randwick by 0.54l on November 26.