Magic Maiden Brings Inglis Classic Update

Tara Madgwick - Saturday January 16

The $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden (1200m) started a big day of action at the Gold Coast on Saturday and was won by the Yarraman Park sold filly Newsreader, whose half-brother will be offered by Yarraman Park at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 377.

Advertisement

Press Statement filly Newsreader scores a dominant win in the MM maiden - image Grant Courtney.

Trained by John O’Shea for a Champion Thoroughbreds Syndicate that includes her breeders, Newsreader showed her class with a dominant two length win with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle, her first victory in seven starts.

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.”

Despite the lack of a win on her previous resume, Press Statement filly Newsreader had been placed three times and was fourth in the Listed ATC Reginal Allen Stakes last spring so was well overdue to break through.

Newsreader as a yearling.

Newsreader was bought from the Yarraman draft at Magic Millions for $170,000 and has returned over $178,000 in prizemoney. She is the first winner for Group I placed Thorn Park mare Thinking of You, who comes from the family of Group III winner Spurred On and stakes-winner Live Theatre.

Thinking of You has an I Am Invincible two year-old colt that made $450,000 at Inglis Easter last year for Yarraman and has been named Governor.

Yarraman will offer the current yearling from Thinking of You, a colt by Zoustar as Lot 377 at Inglis Classic.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Magic Millions Mdn Plate 1200m

Gold Coast Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:09.95
1
Newsreader
- 3f Press Statement (AUS) x Thinking Of You (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: B Avdulla 54
2
2.3
Lady Of Luxury
- 3f Criterion (NZ) x Miss Beauty World (AUS) (God's Own (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Byrne 54
3
2.4
Hey Big Splenda
- 3g Rich Enuff (AUS) x Splendora (AUS) (Jet Spur (AUS))
Tnr: A J & T Edmonds Rdr: R Fradd 56
4
3.2
Dominarcher
- 4g Golden Archer (AUS) x Domitilla (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Billy Healey Rdr: G Boss 57.5
5
3.7
Defiant Diva
- 3f Dissident (AUS) x Cruz By (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: Craig Williams 54
6
3.8
Adelaide's Light
- 3c Adelaide (IRE) x Cleo's Raine (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
7
4.8
Beltaria
- 3g Bel Esprit (AUS) x Scottish Tiara (AUS) (Beautiful Crown (USA))
Tnr: J G Symons & S Laxon Rdr: Ron Stewart 56
8
5.0
Texcel
- 3g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Timbourina (AUS) (Timber Country (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J Bowman 56
9
5.2
Danezel
- 4g Sizzling (AUS) x Spring Collection (AUS) (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA))
Tnr: R L Heathcote Rdr: M Rodd 57.5
9
5.2
Vaporizing
- 4h Wandjina (AUS) x Lady Colours (AUS) (Red Dazzler (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: Ryan Maloney 57.5
11
9.0
Casa Tranquila
- 3f Pluck (USA) x Up And Up (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Costa Rdr: Jag Guthmann-Chester 54
12
9.3
For Valour
- 3g Zoustar (AUS) x Miss Valor (AUS) (Hinchinbrook (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: N Rawiller 56
13
9.5
Krameric
- 4g Rubick (AUS) x Queen For Ninedays (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: D J Hansen Rdr: B El-Issa 57.5
14
10.8
All That Sass
- 3f Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Koonoomoo (AUS) (Dubleo (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: L V Cassidy 54
15
11.2
Boom Express
- 4m Spirit Of Boom (AUS) x Coupe Express (AUS) (Ne Coupez Pas (USA))
Tnr: Chris Meagher Rdr: Ms S Thornton 55.5
16
15.5
Doctor Jack
- 3g Star Witness (AUS) x Streetcar Stella (AUS) (Blevic (AUS))
Tnr: H J Norman Rdr: Ms R Palmer 56
More Reading...
Promising Victory For Too Darn Hot’s Ripley
Racing in the same Qatar Bloodstock coloured silks worn to victory on Friday night by West of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, 3yo Too Darn Hot colt Ripley highlighted his future potential with a two-length maiden victory at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
King’s Legacy Filly Salutes for Yulong
The first stakes-winner for her sire King’s Legacy when winning the Group III SAJC David Coles AM Stakes (1200m) last season, Steel Trap was subsequently purchased by Yulong privately and she posted her first win in their colours at Sandown on Wednesday.
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
First Win for Storm Boy Half-Brother by Pierro
Progressive Pierro colt Shangri La Boy is a very different horse to his older half-brother Storm Boy and while that Group winning colt is covering his first book of mares at Coolmore this spring, this fellow is on his way with an impressive maiden win at Rosehill on Wednesday.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.