No stallion had more impact on today’s Magic Millions Gold Coast feature races than Arrowfield’s sensational young sire Snitzel.
Any reservations about his daughter Sweet Idea’s wide gate and first attempt beyond 1200 metres in the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas 1400m (R) LR simply evaporated as James McDonald used the filly’s speed to put her in the box seat, and then called on her indomitable courage to finish the task.
Sweet Idea responded brilliantly, and powered home for a dominant victory in 1.20.78. Estonian Princess completed the quinella for Snitzel when she flew home late to finish a length away in second place, with Enquare (by Stratum – like Snitzel, a son of Redoute’s Choice) running on for third.
Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with Jungle Pocket Pty Ltd, Sweet Idea (ex Flidais by Timber Country) was purchased for $240,000 by Gai Waterhouse and James Harron, who also bought her full sister for $200,000 from Arrowfield at yesterday’s third session of the 2014 Magic Millions Sale.
Sweet Idea is trained by Waterhouse for an enthusiastic and appreciative group of owners including David & Luke Henderson, Nick Vass and Campbell Brown, who have now watched her run nine times for four wins, five placings and prizemoney of more than $1.5 million.
As reported by Thoroughbred News, Waterhouse said, “She’s a very good filly. She was a high class two-year-old who ran second in a Magic Millions (Classic) and then third in the Slipper.”
“She’s been at the top level for a long time and she’s just such a talented galloper.”
“For a top two-year-old, she has come back better as a three-year-old. She keeps on improving all the time.”
Owner Viive Williams was equally delighted with the performance of Estonian Princess, who made the field only after Charlie Boy’s scratching on Friday morning. The chestnut daughter of Meet My Sis (by Prized) was a $65,000 buy from Victorian breeder Rosemont Stud and is trained at Warwick Farm by Scott Aspery.
Snitzel’s daughter Oakleigh Girl, already a Group winner, was a valiant runner-up in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic 1200m (R) LR, beaten less than a length by the powerful colt Unencumbered, whose sire Testa Rossa was a great racing rival of Snitzel’s champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
Oakleigh Girl was bred by Arrowfield and Planette Thoroughbred, and sold from Arrowfield’s draft for $400,000 at last year’s Magic Millions sale to trainer Dan Bougoure. Her earnings for owner Louise Gillard already exceed $760,000, thanks to the sale company’s Racing Women’s Bonus of $325,000 that Oakleigh Girl collected today.
The Magic Millions race results have shaken up several Australian stallion premierships, but Snitzel, with five crops of racing age, remains on top of the General Sires’ list with prizemoney of $5,498,437, and the 3YO Sires’ list with $3,563,335.
Snitzel’s sale results this week reflect what’s been happening on the track. His 28 yearlings sold in Book 1 of the Magic Millions Sale averaged $152,857, with a top price of $350,000 paid yesterday by Gerald Ryan for Arrowfield’s Last Blaze filly, and today by David Raphael for Amarina Farm’s Morrego colt. His offering will be completed when two colts and a filly from Book 2 go through the ring on Sunday.
