UNITE And Conquer galloped into favouritism for the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at the Gold Coast next month with a dominating win in the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at the Central Coast circuit last week.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Unite And Conquer bounced to the front and keep going to defeat one of Godolphin’s rare yearling purchases Exhilarates (by Snitzel) and the Gary Portelli trained Spaceboy (Deep Field) in third.
An $80,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate, Unite And Conquer along with four-year-old mare Problem Solved who won the $100,000 Magic Millions Wyong Three and Four-Year-Old Stakes, is another reminder of the early loss of Yarraman Park’s Hinchinbrook, both being sired by the deceased Fastnet Rock horse.
Part-owners Rod Scott of Dyer’s Crossing, and Ken Gosling and Selwyn Mabbott of Macksville, were among the trackside cheer-squad for highly promising stayer Jazzland who took his race record to two wins and two seconds from five starts following his convincing win over 2100 metres in the Class 1 and Maiden Plate on the same meeting.
Also bred by Rod at his JTR Farm near Tuncurry, Jazzland, who is trained locally by Kristen Buchanan, was produced from the non-winning Strategic mare Dix.
A four-year-old chestnut gelding, Jazzland is by retired Home On The Grange, a Danehill sire who has gained stud success via some of his tough Sydney staying gallopers – Jazzland appearing to be his next star.
Meanwhile in other Magic Millions news another Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott prepared juvenile colt Czarson, also raced into Magic Millions’ calculations following the chestnut’s second win from as many starts at Rosehill recently.
A $200,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate belongs to the second last crop of foals by deceased Golden Slipper winner Stratum, who found stud fame at Widden Stud in the Widden Valley.
There are two of the last Stratum yearlings at the forth coming Magic Millions – two fillies – including a full-sister to $1.6 million earning gelding Takedown, to be offered via Widden Stud.
As in previous years, a number of youngsters are bound to reach the magical seven figure mark at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale which runs over five consecutive days from Wednesday January 9. Two of the biggest names in recent Australian racing have emerged from this sale - Winx and Redzel.
Australians in Hong Kong
Two of the biggest names in recent Australian racing have emerged from this sale - Winx and Redzel.
BRED by Tony Santic of Makybe Diva/Melbourne Cup fame, Australian bred galloper Mr Stunning did the Aussie’s proud when taking his successive Longines Hong Kong Sprint-G1 at Sha Tin’s most prestigious annual meet recently. While it was his first win since his 2017 Group 1 success, Mr Stunning is by Godolphin’s Darley champion shuttle horse Exceed And Excel.
Mr Santic sold Mr Stunning as a weanling for $110,000 at the 2013 Inglis’ Great Southern weanling Sale, before the horse was resold for $250,000 at the following year’s New Zealand Karaka Yearling Sale in Auckland.
While New Zealand foaled, Beauty Generation, who was Group 1 placed in Australia, when racing as Montaigne was another to flew the flag for Australia in Hong Kong’s major features when taking his second successive Longines Hong Kong Mile-G1.
Beauty Generation is the best galloper to date sired by Road To Rock an Australian bred son of Encosta de Lago who stands at Wellfield Lodge at Palmerston North in New Zealand.
Happy Christmas and New Year to all
HAPPY Christmas and a cheery festive New Year to all The Land “Thoroughbreds” readers, with more winners on the horizon.