| Newsreader landed connections a handsome payday on Saturday with a dominant victory in Australia’s richest maiden, the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1200m), at the Gold Coast. |
The daughter of Press Statement, who was a $170,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds at the 2019 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, was ridden positively by jockey Brenton Avdulla to settle just behind the speed. Avdulla asked the three-year-old to quicken from the 500m and the pair burst away from their rivals ast the top of the straight, going on to record a soft two length win over Lady of Luxury and Hey Big Splenda. Trainer John O’Shea said he specifically targeted the progressive filly at the lucrative maiden after her performances in Stakes races as an autumn two-year-old and spring three-year-old. It was O’Shea’s second success in the Magic Millions Maiden Plate, having won the race in 2012 with Number One Gun. “Brenton got into a beautiful position just following one of the other chances, I think the biggest problem in these races is that you can sometimes get cluttered up and he was never going to be from there,” O’Shea said. “She’s a very fit filly and once she got clear she pinned her ears back and raced away, so it was good. “We were happy with her but it’s all about doing things right on raceday and once she was well behaved behind the gates and down in the stalls it gave us a bit of confidence.” O’Shea has been active across the first four days of the Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast with several notable purchases including Lot 438, a Shalaa filly from Arrowfield Stud’s draft that was knocked down for $360,000 and Lot 864, a Pierro colt from Coolmore Stud’s draft that also fetched $360,000. “It’s been a fantastic week, it’s just a really good time of the year to be here,” he said. “I’ve bought some beautiful horses and we’ve got some really excited clients.” |
