Two and 3-year-old summary: Gollan Itchintogo to Magic Millions

Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography

Itchintogo stakes Magic Millions claim with gutsy Phelan Ready win

Itchintogo (Sun City) proved his toughness and resilience in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes at Doomben, holding off a late challenge from Magritte (Better Than Ready) to win by a half-length in just his second career start.

Beaten on debut over 1200 metres when favourite by Ziplock (Hellbent), Itchintogo showed improved fitness and determination today. Ryan Maloney was forced to settle outside the very keen Tramca (Brutal {NZ}), who led fiercely to his inside. When Tramca dropped away quickly in the straight, Itchintogo was left a “sitting shot”, exposed at the front, but the colt kept finding under pressure to fend off all challengers in a display of grit and composure.

Trainer Tony Gollan praised the performance and outlined plans for the Magic Millions:

“It didn’t unfold the way I thought it might," he said. "I certainly didn’t have the horse leading, but they landed there and we ended up outside him. I think Ryan was happy to come back, but the horse wasn’t. He wanted to get on with the job and he is a real running 2-year-old. To absorb that pressure mid-race, and then be left in front a long way up the straight – he started to wobble a bit late with all the work he did, but it was a terrific win.

“He will head towards the Magic Millions, but we’ll just get him home and check he pulls up well. I wouldn’t need to run him again now, I’d only run if I really had to. We’ll put him on ice and see if we can get him to the Gold Coast on the big day in January.”

Itchintogo’s impressive showing under pressure, particularly after being challenged in the lead, bodes well for the high-pressure, high-stakes event on the Gold Coast this January.

Sales: Itchintogo was a $60,000 purchase by Glenhuntly Lodge from the draft of Lucas Bloodstock at the 2025 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Itchintogo is the first stakes winner for Sun City, who stood at Telemon Thoroughbreds for $8800 (including GST) this season. He is the second winner and first stakes winner from Itchintowin (Nothing To Lose {USA}). He comes from a deep New Zealand pedigree, descending from the family of Group 1 winners Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Provence (NZ) (Savabeel).

Sun City enjoyed a double at Doomben with Sun Worshipper winning the first.

Foreign Press holds on for gritty Mode stakes triumph

Foreign Press (Invader) showed real grit and determination to secure a valuable black-type success in Saturday’s Listed Mode Plate at Doomben on Saturday, clinging on by a nose to repel the late charge of the Sydney visitors.

The Tony Gollan-trained filly jumped cleanly and settled right in the box seat behind the leaders, but when the field headed for home she was forced to quicken along the inside section of the track—an area that had begun to deteriorate as the day wore on. Despite that disadvantage, Foreign Press surged bravely, and when Michael Freedman’s Sylph (I Am Invincible) burst through late, she dug in again to deny the talented Sydney raider by the narrowest of margins.

Ernaux (I Am Invincible), another of the Sydney raiders, also struck trouble in the run home but closed strongly to finish three-quarters of a length away in third.

Gollan was full of praise for Foreign Press, who was having her ninth career start.

“It was a really good win,” he said. “She had to quicken up down where we didn’t want to go, low on that track. It’s just started to chew out a bit as the day has gone on. But that’s how it presented for her and when the Sydney filly came at her, she had to dig deep.

“It was always a bit of a question mark whether a strong 1200 metres sees this filly out but she saw it out today.”

Sales: Foreign Press was a $65,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Figtree Thoroughbreds.

Pedigree Notes: Foreign Press is the only named foal of the Written Tycoon mare Writer’s Block. Her extended family includes G1 Flight Stakes winner Angst (Kala Dancer) and Champion New Zealand 2YO Sword of State. Writer’s Block welcomed a Spirit of Boom colt this Spring.

She also became the second stakes winner for Invader, who has also sired multiple Group 1 winner Sunshine in Paris.

Upset in the opener: Moana Spirit runs away as Inhabit fails to fire

The opening 2-year-old event at Morphettville looked, on paper, like one of the most straightforward races of the day. With only three runners engaged and Inhabit (Stay Inside) sent out a dominant $1.24 favourite after a stylish debut, most expected a routine, uneventful contest.

But a small field often has a way of turning the obvious result on its head.

Inhabit jumped cleanly and dictated terms exactly as predicted, controlling the small field with ease. Yet the certainty evaporated approaching the home turn. The favourite was the first horse under riding and, moments later, the first horse beaten, offering little resistance once the pressure went on.

Behind her, Tony & Calvin McEvoy’s debutante Moana Spirit (Tagaloa) travelled quietly before sweeping past the favourite at the furlong. What had appeared a formality turned into a rout, as the filly surged clear with a stylish, authoritative sprint. Czech Out (Prague) boxed on to hold second, while Inhabit faded away, beaten four lengths in a disappointing performance.

However, the post-race stewards’ report revealed an explanation for the favourite’s dramatic collapse: Inhabit was found to be suffering cardiac arrhythmia.

Sales: Moana Spirit is bred, owned and raced by Yulong Farm and was not offered at public auction.

Pedigree: Moana Spirit is the third foal to race for Chaminade (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}). She descends from the distinguished sprinting family of Pipalong (GB) (Pips Pride {GB}), the former Champion Older Female Sprinter in Great Britain. Chaminade has a yearling filly by Alabama Express, but missed in 2024.

Casey juveniles in top form as Red Lark shines in Magic Millions Plate

The Sean and Jake Casey stable continued their dominant juvenile form in Western Australia, with Red Lark (Awesome Rock) producing a gutsy performance to claim victory in the Magic Millions Plate at Ascot. Beaten for speed early, Red Lark settled midfield before jockey Keshaw Dhurun angled him into the clear down the centre of the track, allowing him to run on strongly and hold off Properata (Pierata) by a neck, with Ace Queen Suited (Snippetson) just behind in third in a tight finish.

The win also franked the form of his unbeaten stablemate Beatty (Gingerbread Man), who bolted in the $100,000 Magic Millions Crystal Slipper Stakes last start. Red Lark was beaten three and three quarter lengths by Beatty on debut, a result that now looks even stronger — and further evidence of how well the Casey camp have their 2-year-olds rolling this season.

Co-trainer Sean Casey praised Red Lark’s effort and professionalism, while also acknowledging the quality of Beatty.

“He ran a really nice race behind Beatty,” Casey said.

“He is just one of those nice horses to train. He has been happy in work. I just can’t stop thinking about the ride – what a brilliant ride. He followed the play, followed the main riders and brought himself into the race, shunted his way through. I have to thank my team at home educating him for that.

“Beatty is a machine. This bloke has just been hard working. He has had to work with those horses and had to really bust his guts to stay with them. Under pressure today, he knew what it was like to get one around the rear end.”

With three of the five juvenile winners this season coming from the Casey stable, their early-season form is setting the bar high for Western Australia’s 2-year-old ranks.

Sales: Red Lark is a homebred for the Casey stable's regular client Mr HW Daly.

Pedigree: Red Lark is the second named foal from Shoulder Strap (Epaulette), who is a half-sister to the dam of G2 WA Guineas winner Man Booker (Discorsi) and $1 million earner Achernar Star (Gingerbread Man). Shoulder Strap has a yearling filly by Long Leaf and a colt foaled this season by Marine One.

That’s Gold powers home to win Bonecrusher Stakes after trainer snubs Yulong offer

The G3 Bonecrusher Stakes over 1400 metres delivered a thrilling finish, with That’s Gold (Lucky Vega {Ire}) powering home late to reel in To Cap It All (Capitalist), who had looked the winner deep into the final 50 metres. That’s Gold scored by half a length, with L’aigle Noir (NZ) (Ribchester {Ire}) a further length and a third back in third.

To Cap It All struck the front early in the straight and held off challengers for much of the run home, but That’s Gold, after taken a few strides to balance up, let down strongly and surged past to claim a stylish victory.

For trainer Chris Wood, the win was particularly satisfying, not just for the Group-level breakthrough, but because he had turned down a buyback offer from the all-powerful Yulong Stud who had originally offered the horse at auction.

“It has been a little while since I’ve won a Group race,” an emotional Wood said.

“I really like this horse. I probably over raced him as a 2-year-old and I was kicking myself because I thought he’d win a race in that time frame, but I’ve always had a lot of faith in him. He’s got a lot of ability. It was a 10 out of 10 ride from Tayla (Mitchell) and thank you to my staff back home.

"He’s matured mentally and physically from his 2-year-old season. After a few runs, Yulong rang me and tried to buy him back, but I wasn’t going to pass him up – I knew he had that in him to get where he is now, and today was his day. We have to look forward to the big races on Boxing Day now.”

That’s Gold’s win confirmed the promise he showed at Te Aroha 10 days earlier, demonstrating marked improvement since his 2-year-old season.

Sales: That’s Gold was a $57,500 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase in 2024 from the draft of Yulong Stud. He was bought by trainer Chris Wood in partnership with Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman.

Pedigree: That’s Gold is the second winner from Sebring mare Longmu, herself a daughter of Listed SAJC Redelva Stakes winner Hooness (Exceed and Excel). Longmu has a yearling filly by Written Tycoon and was due a foal by Lucky Vega (Ire) this spring.