Juvenile summary: Dream result for Birchley in Millions

Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Dream result for Birchley in Karaka Millions 2YO

Queensland trainer Liam Birchley will bring home his third R.Listed Karaka Millions 2YO trophy after 2-year-old filly Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca) travelled to New Zealand to take out the NZ$1 million prize. She bounced out of the gates from barrier one and stalked the pace before winning by a long head from Magill (Farnan) with Lindsay Park-trained Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State) in third.

“We were lucky enough to draw number one, which saves you a lot of work in the run, she could take it easy and save her best for the end, which we needed to,” Birchley said.

“From barrier one you are going to get the best run no matter what if you have got the right jockey. He (Ben Thompson) is an emerging superstar.”

Dream Roca was a last start winner in Brisbane, beating Star Of Jamaica (Profiteer) who won on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast. She took her record to two wins from three starts with earnings of NZ$550,000 and $68,000.

“It’s tremendous to get it three times, I know how hard it is to win it, and the standard here of the two-year-olds has improved markedly over the last 10 years. I have got a lot of really close friends in this horse that go back a long way. One of the owners has just died recently and he named her, so it means a lot.”

Birchley previously won the race in 2010 with Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) and in 2015 with Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}).

Sales info: Sold by Westbury Stud for NZ$75,000 to Bloodstock Solutions at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree notes: The first foal of five-race winner Petrachor (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), Dream Roca has a yearling half-sister by Swiss Ace. Petrachor is a half-sister to stakes placed Niobe (NZ) (Niello) from the family of G1 Otaki Maori RC WFA Stakes winner Marscapone (Shooting To Win) and G1 Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

Rubi’s Choice surprises in Preview

It was a big move by Greg Eurell to debut 2-year-old filly Rubi’s Choice (Rubick) in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (f) but it paid off with a three-quarter length victory. She was given a steady ride by Beau Mertens sitting just off the pace in the centre of the track, and she ran down the front running pair of I Am Aria (I Am Invincible) and Gin Twist (Home Affairs) who stuck on for second and third.

“We had another 2-year-old, Lincoln Square, who was a brother to this filly so it was the right decision to go back to (Rubick) again,” Eurell said. Lincoln Square was a winner at two and ran fourth in the Listed Gothic Stakes.

“It is always tough to get a guide on these 2-year-olds but what I liked with her is that she is so progressive and every time she has gone out she has been learning and progressed with it. She could not have led into this any better than she did and today I felt that she was super well so we thought we'd get a good guide on where she sits.”

She becomes the 16th stakes winner for Rubick, who was exported to China in February 2025, and is not nominated for the G1 Blue Diamond, requiring a $55,000 late fee to join. “We'll see how she pulls up but we'll likely go to the Blue Diamond Prelude and go from there.”

Lady Of Five (Hanseatic) was scratched from the race when her truck became stuck in a traffic jam and she missed getting to the track on time. “It's like Trent (Edmonds) said to me, all those years of driving in that crap traffic to the Gold Coast and we never missed a meeting,” co-trainer Will Hulbert told racenet.com.au.

“When Trent got to the accident he said one car had run up the bum of another and put a tiny dent in it. The bullbar of the other car came off but no-one would pick it up (off the highway).” She will run in the G3 Chairmans Stakes at Caulfield next Saturday. “It's against the boys but hopefully she'll get a bit less weight and I'm hoping it'll be a bit weaker than the Diamond series.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Sales info: Rubi's Choice is a homebred for Mr L Krongold, who also bred her dam Redasun (Haradasun).

Pedigree notes: Redasun won three times, including once at Caulfield, and has had four winners with Rubi’s Choice being her sixth live foal. She has a yearling filly and filly foal by King’s Legacy to come.

Redasun is a half-sister to Listed Grafton Cup winner Rednav (Henrythenavigator {Ire}) who won seven races and also placed in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas.

Drama filled Preview won by Alibaba

With Eurocanto (Per Incanto {USA}) scratched at the barrier gates, the field for the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (c&g) was reduced to six. Half-way down the straight, racing fans held their breath as High Alert (Street Boss {USA}) and Invicto (I Am Invincible) were tightened for space, forcing High Alert back, while eventual winner Craig Newitt-ridden Alibaba (Alabama Express) and second placed Milsons Point (Blue Point {Ire}) both stayed out of trouble down the centre of the track.

Invicto ran on well for third, while High Alert picked himself up to finish strongly in fourth. Ken and Kasey Keys-trained Alibaba is not nominated for the G1 Blue Diamond, so his connections would have to pay the $55,000 supplementary fee to join the field. He placed in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes on debut.

“He has really settled down this prep,” Kasey Keys said.

“He wasn't the easiest early on but he has been gaining confidence every day. We've always known that he has the motor but it has just been a matter of him putting it together."

Alibaba is from the smallest crop by Alabama Express with 58 foals born in 2023, and becomes his fifth career stakes winner. Alibaba is the second juvenile winner from Alabama Express’s third crop after Dashing Dixie (NZ) who won in New Zealand in mid-December.

Sales info: Sold by Yulong at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $115,000 to Ken Keys Racing. Yulong will present Alibaba’s half-brother by Lucky Vega (Ire) at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 52.

Pedigree notes: Alibaba is a full brother to 3-year-old filly Strideaway who placed in the R.Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic last season as well as winning twice at two. The pair are out of juvenile winner Rowsthorn (Written Tycoon) who is a three-quarter-sister to G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Written Dash (Written Tycoon). Stakes winners Diamonds (Rich Enuff) and The Intimidator (Toronado {Ire}) are also in this family.

Serious juvenile family produces another one

Satin Summer (Written Tycoon) is bred to be a juvenile star. And trainer Michael Freedman knows how to train a Golden Slipper winner off only a couple of starts, having debuted last year’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona (Snitzel) with a victory in early February. It looks a match made in heaven.

The 2-year-old filly jumped and led and made it look rather easy when she kicked again to take the victory by 1.4 lengths from Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Zambales (Pinatubo {Ire}) with Ciaron Maher-trained Ciaron’s Star (I Am Invincible) in third. All three in the trifecta were on debut.

“I think she is a filly going places. Obviously, we'd be keen to try to get some black type somewhere,” Freedman said.

“As long as she pulls up alright we'll have a think about it, but one of those fillies races (in Sydney) might be a nice option or going to Melbourne for one of the fillies' Diamond Preludes in two weeks' time.”

Freedman thinks she will improve again if she doesn’t lead. “It wasn't the plan to lead on her today. I've always felt she was a filly that would enjoy having something to follow but the way things panned out, Tommy (Berry) took the initiative, and she skipped away,” he said.

“To be fair, (respected horse breaker) Matt Vella had her in pre-training a while back and said to me, 'she's a sharp filly'. She has done nothing but please us since she has been in.”

Sales info: A homebred for Belinda Bateman.

Pedigree notes: A half-sister to Listed Gimcrack Stakes Satin Slipper (Pierro), who is the dam of Listed winner and G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes-placed I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible). Satin Summer is the fifth winner for G2 Silver Slipper Stakes winner Satin Shoes (Flying Spur).

Satin Shoes is a half-sister to G2 Great Northern Guineas winner and G1 New Zealand Oaks-third Zarzuela (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) who is the dam of Group 3 winner Serious Satire (More Than Ready {USA}). Group 1 winner and joint Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Sprinter in New Zealand Star Satire (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) is Satin Summer’s third dam.

First winner for Profiteer with Star Of Jamaica

Newgate Farm’s first season sire Profiteer celebrated his first winner when Chris and Corey Munce-trained 2-year-old colt Star Of Jamaica won at the Sunshine Coast. Star Of Jamaica was having his second start, having debut before Christmas with a second placing. Ridden by Ryan Maloney, the short $1.40 favourite stalked the leaders before flying home for a nice 1.8 length victory. He will try to emulate his sire in the R.Listed Inglis Millennium next start.

Profiteer, a son of Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, won on debut as a pre-Christmas juvenile, winning the R.Listed Inglis Millennium at his next start. Placed behind Anamoe in the G2 Todman Stakes, he trained on to win at three.

Sales info: Originally sold by the Alma Vale/Kitchwin Hills partnership at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale for $12,000 to Spectrum Sales Australia, Star Of Jamaica went through Alma Vale’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft where Munce Racing bought him for $85,000.

Pedigree notes: He is one of only two foals for Raziel (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who hasn’t had a mare return done since 2023. Raziel won twice in country NSW over 1900 metres and 2100 metres, so the early speed likely comes directly from Profiteer.

There is no black type in the immediate pedigree with Star Of Jamaica’s third dam wining mare Trinian (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}) being the second dam of Listed Southland Guineas winner Champagne Needed (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}).