| Lara Antipova left no doubt who New Zealand’s best juvenile was with a brilliant win in today’s Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie capping a massive day for Magic Millions sold two-year-olds. |
| Sent out a raging odds on favourite in the Sistema, Lara Antipova unleashed her customary sprint when called upon in the straight for an easy win. The daughter of Russian Revolution is now unbeaten in four runs and she is now set to be sent across the Tasman to be tested with some of Australia’s most promising youngsters. “She’s exciting,” winning co-trainer Mark Walker said moments after the win. “It’s great for John Galvin and his team and well done to David Ellis it’s the seventh winner of the race he’s bought – that’s an incredible record.” “We think she is up to Australian class. We will look forward to getting her to Melbourne and looking at some nice races at the back end of the two-year-old season.” “There’s a race down the straight at Flemington at the end of the month or there’s the Percy Sykes Stakes in Sydney.” “It will be good to give her a look at the Melbourne stable with a view to the Coolmore (Stud Stakes) in the Spring.” “Her form stacks up with Bellatrix Star who John and Jessica (Galvin) raced there and she’s every bit as good as she was,” Walker added. Winning rider Michael Dee was equally as impressed with the performance and he felt the young star would have found more if challenged. “She made my job easy, she is certainly well educated,” Dee said. “She jumped clean and the speed was on. We were able to land in the one-one position and she did the rest.” “I had the eventual second horse try to come in underneath us on the turn and she just didn’t get around the corner 100 percent. She won the race once she quickened up.” “She had a good look around,” Dee added. “I feel there is plenty left in the tank.” Lara Antipova is the latest Group One winner sired by Snitzel’s Galaxy winning son Russian Revolution. She is one of four winners produced by the five time winning Myboycharlie mare Artistic Lass – a mare who holds metro class wins in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. A winner from 1800 to 2200 metres, Artistic Lass is a half sister to four stakes performers led by Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes winner Sistine Angel and Group Three winner Sistine Demon. Lara Antipova was the cherry on top of what was an incredible day for youngsters sold by Magic Millions in feature races across Australasia. In Sydney the Golden Slipper Stakes ambitions for Chayan (I Am Invincible) and Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) were given tremendous boosts with brilliant Group Two wins. Chayan, a $250,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase from Longwood Thoroughbred Farm for owner Eric Koh, swept home to win the Reisling Stakes by a widening three lengths. Just over 30 minutes later it was the turn of $400,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy Paradoxium, who bounced back from a recent setback, for a sensational win in the Todman Stakes. A winner of December’s Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic, the Bjorn Baker trained Paradoxium missed the Gold Coast feature after being struck down with travel sickness. But today, after a recent dashing trial win, he was able to lead, kick and dominate the important feature and elevate himself to Golden Slipper favourite ahead of highly regarded stablemate Warwoven, another Magic Millions sold youngster. Further south at Flemington the feature two-year-old race, the Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes was captured by the rising talent Grinzinger Heart. The Toronado youngster was a $110,000 Gold Coast Yearling buy for owner John Wheeler from the Lustre Lodge draft. The filly registered the biggest win so far for the talented horseman, Wangaratta trainer Ben Brisbourne, when winning at good odds. It was Magic Millions Day at Murray Bridge and the feature, the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic (1100m) was won in brilliant style by the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Rich on Bubbles (Capitalist). A last start winner in Victoria, Rich on Bubbles settled back in the field before storming home under Kayla Crowther for an impressive four length success. Last year’s SA 2YO Classic winner Ole Dancer graduated to a Group One winner later that year. The Lindsay Park stable, who parted with $200,000 to buy Rich on Bubbles from Kingstar Farm, will be hoping he can graduate to similar heights. Later in the card at Murray Bridge the Prime Thoroughbreds team celebrated their ninth Magic Millions feature success when Shadhavar (Pride of Dubai) cruised home to win the SA 3&4YO Classic (1200m). The Tom Dabernig trained mare is destined for stakes races after the win. She was purchased by Joe O’Neill for $85,000 at the 2023 Adelaide Yearling Sale from the draft of The Chase. It was the fifth Magic Millions big race winner Prime have purchased and syndicated from the Morphettville based auction. Another Adelaide Yearling Sale purchase to delight its connections on the day was Scheelite who scored a dashing win in the Group Three Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington. The Ken Keys trained son of Real Steel was an $80,000 buy from the Collingrove Stud offering. For good measure the juvenile race run on the metropolitan meeting at Bunbury in Western Australia was won by another Magic Millions sold performer. The Neville Parnham trained Here the Boom (Spirit of Boom) rattled home to win. The winner was a $40,000 Perth Yearling Sale buy from the Ridgeport Holdings draft. Beadman, a proven Group winner, bounced back to his best for a classy win in the Listed Fireball Quality for trainer Peter Snowden at Randwick. A $900,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy, Beadman was an Arrowfield Stud graduate. Later on the same Randwick card for the former $9,000 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase Generosity won the Group Two Challenge Stakes against a crack field of sprinters. Purchased by her former Perth based trainer Simon Miller from Glastonbury Farms, Generosity is now raced by B2B Thoroughbreds and is trained by Chris Waller. She is sure to be given another chance at Group One level over the coming weeks. May’s upcoming National Broodmare Sale received another first class boost when superstar New Zealand mare Legarto won the Group One New Zealand Stakes in brilliant style at Ellerslie. The now five time Group One winner will be offered as an elite broodmare prospect at the Gold Coast when she is presented through the Attunga Stud draft. Connections will consider the upcoming Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington. She is already an elite level at the track, beating all comers in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at three. |
