Star Thoroughbreds shine with Magic Millions double in Tasmania

6 min read

It was a day to remember for Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) at Launceston on Sunday, as they secured both feature races on the Magic Millions Tasmania program.

Their purple and white stars colours found the winner’s circle twice, with the debuting filly Sanniya (Stratosphere) claiming the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, followed by Durazzo's (Needs Further) dominant victory in the Magic Millions 3YO & 4YO Classic.

Originally from Tasmania herself, Star Thoroughbreds’ Denise Martin began buying yearlings with Randwick Bloodstock Agency's proprietor Brett Howard at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale over a decade ago to send to her brother-in-law and one of the island’s leading trainers, Barry Campbell.

“I think many people go back to their roots from time to time, and I still feel in some way that Tasmania is home,” Martin told The Thoroughbred Report. “Fortunately, over the years, we've been immensely successful with a very small number of horses trained in Tassie.

“It's just lovely to go through the sales and buy only two every year or so and, over the years, have such wonderful success. A horse like (11-time) Eastender was a $22,000 yearling, and he broke a 43 year record when he won every cup in the state and won just under $600,000.”

“It's just lovely to go through the sales and buy only two every year or so and, over the years, have such wonderful success." - Denise Martin

Sanniya scores on debut

Trainer Barry Campbell unveiled a smart juvenile in Sanniya, who upstaged the previously unbeaten favourite Zany Girl (Needs Further) to take out the $85,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic over 1200 metres. Ridden by Craig Newitt, Sanniya showed professionalism beyond her years, securing a 0.75l victory and stamping herself as a filly to follow.

A $67,500 purchase from Grenville Stud’s draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale, Sanniya is the first juvenile winner from Stratosphere’s third crop. She is the third winner from four to race for Lady Writer (Written Tycoon), an unraced daughter of Listed Tasmanian Oaks winner Wavishing (Ark Regal {NZ}).

“We thought that she was a very athletic, very precocious sort, who could win a major race at two,” Martin said. “So we tick that box.”

Adding to the race’s story, third-placed finisher Taroona (Rebel Dane) secured the $10,000 Racing Women’s Bonus as the first all-women-owned horse across the line.

Durazzo dominates MM 3YO & 4YO Classic

The winning momentum continued for Star Thoroughbreds and Campbell in the $75,000 Magic Millions Tasmania 3YO & 4YO Classic over 1400 metres, as Durazzo extended his outstanding record. The 4-year-old gelding was simply too good for his rivals, surging to a 4l victory and taking his career tally to seven wins from nine starts.

A $97,500 purchase from Armidale Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale, Durazzo has now amassed $227,050 in prizemoney. He is one of two winners from Arenzano (Not A Single Doubt), a metro-winning mare who also placed fourth in the Listed Tasmanian Guineas. His pedigree traces back to Group 1 winner and talented young sire Super Seth.

Durazzo is a particularly special purchase for Martin, who also purchased Arenzano as a yearling and raced her under the Star Thoroughbreds banner. To purchase a son of one of her former performers, who has been a late bloomer after his career was delayed by injury as a younger horse, and reap such success within his first 10 starts is very special.

“He only started racing last year, and he's just got to a very high level of competition in the state really quickly,” Martin said. “Maybe next Sunday we will start him for his last start in this preparation in the (Listed) Thomas Lyons.

“He would then be racing up against the likes of The Inevitable, which would be very interesting competition."

Martin added another son of Arenzano to her stable last February.

“Last year I went to the sales in Tassie and paid a lot of money for Durazzo's full brother, with a couple of out of town yearling selectors,” Martin added. Mazzini (Needs Further) trialled in mid January, finishing third to Sanniya. “He’s a little bit different to today's winner in that he's probably more of a Guineas horse or a 1600-metre horse, but he looks as though he's a real talent.”

Star fillies on Martin's mind

One of Martin’s current stars that hits the trials this week for Chris Waller is Olentia (Zoustar), and Martin is hopeful they can add a win at the highest level before the mare begins her second career at stud.

“We would love her to be a Group 1 mare,” Martin said. “She's just one of those mares that everybody likes because she's a good looking filly, she's talented, and most of the time, nearly all the time, she really puts in.

“She's just one of those mares that everybody likes because she's a good looking filly, she's talented, and most of the time, nearly all the time, she really puts in." - Denise Martin

“She's got a good page, she's got a highly respectable race record, and I just think if we could just snap through one of those Group 1 barriers, it'd be just amazing.”

Olentia will aim to kick off her autumn preparation in the G2 Expressway Stakes in two weeks time. Stablemate Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) is slated to begin her campaign in the G1 Surround Stakes at the beginning of March as part of her quest for an Oaks later in the autumn.

Olentia winning the G2 Expressway Stakes

“Chris (Waller) has got quite lofty ambitions for her because she's clearly a mare that has advanced well and matured,” Martin said. “She was quite lean and immature when she arrived as a yearling, but she has just furnished into a really nice, good, strong filly now.

“If you asked me at the moment, which of our star horses would I most believe has big career ambitions in the autumn, it would be her.”

Martin is looking forward to the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale that begins this week, where she will convene with Howard and Waller’s veterinarian, Dr Ross Alexander, to examine the 806-strong catalogue in search of another Fiesta (I Am Invincible) or Kalino (Pierro).

“I love yearling sales, I love to see the babies, and I love working with Brett and Ross,” she said. “It's a good team. We collectively offer our views on the horses, and when one is successful, it's really thrilling. You feel that the work that you're doing is really on the mark and you're finding the right horses, the sort of horses that represent your business really well.”

Tasmania
Denise Martin
Star Thoroughbreds
Randwick Bloodstock Agency
Durazzo
Sanniya