Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Race-day recap:
James McDonald believes Beadman (Snitzel) has another head-turning performance to come in the current Queensland Carnival after his stunning 8.5l victory in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at Gold Coast Turf Club.
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin was quick to turn his thoughts to the $1 million Magic Millions National Classic at the Gold Coast on May 23 after Prince Tycoon’s (Written Tycoon) victory in the Handicap for 2-year-olds over 1100 metres at Caulfield.
I Am Invincible looks to have unearthed yet another potential star, with Hidden Achievement’s half length win in the 2YO Handicap over 1200 metres at Gosford.
Luke Fernie had a feeling Just Too Fly (Justify {USA}) would be too good in the G3 WA Sires Produce Stakes even if the plans with his good-looking colt didn’t quite come off the way he envisioned.
Steel Trap (King’s Legacy) is “not an overly big horse” and was purchased for just $30,000, but the filly is now a Group 3 victor.
Beadman lives up to price, name
James McDonald believes Beadman (Snitzel) has another head-turning performance to come in the current Queensland Carnival after his stunning 8.5l victory in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at Gold Coast Turf Club.
No horse got near the colt after the turn for home in the 1200 metres sprint worth $200,000 in Heavy 8 conditions.
And the $900,000 purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy from Arrowfield Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale could well be a shrewd buy.
“Don’t let the price tag tell you anything about the horse. You’ve really got to try out the horse and see where they land,” winning trainer Peter Snowden said post-race.
“But this fella has the ability to back it up.”
Beadman as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
By Champion Sire, Snitzel, and out of the French Listed winner Iffranesia (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), Snowden said the pressure of another higher-stakes Queensland Carnival start would not faze Beadman.
“He’s very talented. He doesn’t know how good he is, either. That’s the best part about him,” he said.
“He’s (Beadman) very talented. He doesn’t know how good he is, either. That’s the best part about him.” - Peter Snowden
“He doesn’t overdo it in his trackwork – he’s a very laidback customer.”
After finishing runner-up in a Maiden Plate at Kembla Grange on debut on April 15, Snowden said putting winkers on his colt worked wonders, before he saluted at Newcastle on April 26.
“I put the winkers on after the first start for that reason because I thought if he could put in a quantum leap, we could get up here and win a decent race,” he said.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
McDonald thinks the sky could be the limit for his 2-year-old mount.
“He’s promised a lot. He’s a beautiful type, too. He’s got a really bright future,” he said.
“That was a good definition of good speed, and sustained speed.
“He’s (Beadman) promised a lot. He’s a beautiful type, too. He’s got a really bright future.” - James McDonald
“He did that well on a tricky track. I didn’t expect him to be that far in front, to be fair.
“He’s still learning his craft. He’s a big colt, and he won’t take any harm from that.
“He’ll win another one up here.”
Prince Tycoon aiming for Magic Millions National 2YO Classic crown
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin was quick to turn his thoughts to the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on May 23 after Prince Tycoon’s (Written Tycoon) victory in the Handicap for 2-year-olds over 1100 metres at Caulfield.
The gelding - guided home by Daniel Moor - showed a nice turn of foot to win by half a length, after hitting the front 100m from home.
It was enough for Busuttin to immediately declare that his juvenile was ideally placed for a tilt at the seven-figure sprint later this month, following his brilliant debut.
“There’s a $1 million 2-year-old race up on the Gold Coast in two weeks, so hard to argue against that, but it’s just great to come and get the job done,” Busuttin told Racing.com.
“They are always hard to win on a Saturday, and are always hard to win first time at the races.”
Rosangela (Too Darn Hot {GB}) kicked clear at the home turn, but Prince Tycoon knuckled down well to eventually mow her down.
Prince Tycoon winning at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He was hanging the whole way around the corner and wasn’t super sharp like he was in that trial,” Busuttin said.
“I thought, ‘geez, when you are the first off the bridle, you are in trouble’ but to his credit, he dug in deep. Race day is different to trials in that they look super sharp, but he’s got the job done so it’s good.”
“I thought, ‘geez, when you are the first off the bridle, you are in trouble’ but to his credit, he dug in deep.” - Trent Busuttin
Written Tycoon is a nine-time Victorian Champion Sire, while Prince Tycoon’s dam, Dongxing Princess (Exceed and Excel), now has three winners from as many runners.
Hidden Achievement shows his class late
I Am Invincible looks to have unearthed yet another potential star, with Hidden Achievement’s a dominant half a length winner in the 2YO Handicap over 1200 metres at Gosford.
In his second start, the colt hit the front coming into the final furlong with Adam Hyeronimus aboard in the $160,000 sprint and wasn’t headed from there.
It was an impressive performance for the Chris Waller-trained runner, after a courageous runner-up finish at Canterbury Park over 1250 metres on debut on April 21.
Hidden Achievement was purchased for $675,000 by YLP from KB Bloodstock at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, and the Waller team has been delighted with his development.
“Lovely colt. He improved out of sight from his trials to his debut performance,” Waller stable spokesman Zane Jones said.
“That race at Canterbury, they were just good horses. Only they can do that, and make up that much ground at Canterbury.
Hidden Achievement as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“He was rapid through the line. He’ll take improvement from that.
“Aided by a good ride today, he was too strong.”
Hidden Achievement’s victory was the second from three runners for Group 1-winning dam, La Luna Rossa (NZ) {Written Tycoon}).
Frankel (GB) might have also produced a 2-year-old colt to watch, with Sarapo (GB) rounding out a quinella for Waller, with Chad Schofield aboard.
Hidden Achievement winning at Gosford | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The Queensland Carnival is now an option for both of Waller’s developing colts.
“We’ll see how they come through the run. The option is there, and we’ll let Chris and the owners decide,” Jones said.
“Queensland or not, they’re both very nice horses.
“Hidden Achievement put the writing on the wall the other day. We’ll let the dust settle, see how he comes through it and we’ll decide on Queensland then.”
“Hidden Achievement put the writing on the wall the other day. We’ll let the dust settle, see how he comes through it and we’ll decide on Queensland then.” - Zane Jones
Just Too Fly too cool and calm under Group 3 pressure
Luke Fernie had a feeling Just Too Fly (Justify {USA}) would be too good in the G3 WA Sires Produce Stakes even if the plans with his good-looking colt didn’t quite come off the way he envisioned.
It did not matter, with the 2-year-old launching an unstoppable turn of foot past the turn for home in the 1400-metre sprint worth $200,000, Brad Parnham guiding him to a comfortable half-length victory.
“The plan was to be positive. I feel like he’s a better horse when he finds the rail. It doesn’t really matter now that we’ve won the race,” Fernie said.
“But I thought if we could get to the fence it’d be a good result for him. He was tough and courageous today.”
By superstar stallion Justify (USA) and out of Ephemera (More Than Ready), Fernie’s $210,000 purchase from Riversdale at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale could well turn out to be a bargain buy.
Just Too Fly as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He’s really nice. He gets a bit excited, but he’s good to deal with. When you have a high-priced colt, you need the right people around you to make sure that everything flows smoothly,” he said.
“He’s (Just Too Fly) really nice. He gets a bit excited, but he’s good to deal with.” - Luke Fernie
“And I’m very fortunate that we’ve got a team to do that.”
Fernie said Just Too Fly’s work was the best he had seen from his emerging juvenile on Tuesday, who now has one win from four starts.
“Quality animal. He always has been. It’s probably taken him a bit longer to work it out than what I thought he might’ve,” he said.
Connections of Just Too Fly after winning the G3 WA Sires Produce Stakes | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“His work on Tuesday was the best he’s ever worked. I said ‘he’s going to be pretty tough to beat today’.
“The other one got him chasing, and he did a good job to peg it back.
“He’s a nice horse, and I’m really happy with him.”
Parnham said Just Too Fly was calm under the pressure of a Group 3 start.
Just Tooo Fly winning the G3 WA Sires Produce Stakes | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“He was good for me today. Maybe being a colt, sometimes they have days where they’re a little bit fizzy,” he said.
“But he actually was pretty settled today. As he gets older I’m sure he’ll get better, but he wasn’t too bad for me today.”
'Bloody beauty' bargain buy takes out G3 David Coles AM Stakes
Steel Trap (King’s Legacy) is “not an overly big horse” and was purchased for just $30,000, but the filly is now a Group 3 victor.
The filly showed plenty of class to put away Brave Design (Brave Smash {Jpn}) on the inside to comfortably salute by one and a half lengths in the G3 David Coles AM Stakes over 1200 metres at Morphettville, with Jamie Melham aboard.
And co-trainer Dan Clarken was over the moon with the performance from the 2-year-old bargain purchase, picked up by Angas River Contractors from Phoenix Broodmare Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
It was Steel Trap’s second win from five starts, and she had previously placed at Group 3 and Listed level.
“She’s a bloody beauty. Group 3 winner, Group placed. It’s pretty cool,” Clarken told Racing.com.
Steel Trap as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Steel Trap was the first stakes winner from 19 runners for Group 1 victor and Coolmore stallion King’s Legacy, and the first winner for her dam Lochita (Lonhro).
“She’s not an overly-big horse, but she’s out of a Lonhro mare and they probably take a bit of time,” Clarken said.
“So she’s going to get better as she gets older. She’s a little bit wired – she can be a little bit of a chestnut filly and carry on a bit.
“But we’ll get home and worry about it later.
“So she’s (Steel Trap) going to get better as she gets older. She’s a little bit wired – she can be a little bit of a chestnut filly and carry on a bit. But we’ll get home and worry about it later.” - Dan Clarken
“I personally would like to put her away, and get her ready for a 3-year-old race in the spring.
“But I’ll have a good chat with Jamie and see what her thoughts are.”
