Veteran sire Artie Schiller (USA) will have a runner in the $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with his promising son Golden Artie defeating boom filly Soaring Ambition at Doomben on New Year’s Day.
The $105,000 Trapeze Artist Open 2YO (1200m) was thought to be an easy assignment for the Annabel Neasham trained Soaring Ambition, who created a big impression when winning the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic last month.
She was sent to the post a raging hot favourite, but the soft track and charting an inside passage proved to be her undoing with Tommy Berry unable to bridge the gap to Golden Artie, who won by a long neck under Ben Thompson.
A close and unlucky second on debut back in October behind Palazzo Spirit, the Bryan and Daniel Guy trained Golden Artie was spelled immediately after with the primary goal of achieving a run in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Golden Artie did plenty wrong and struck trouble when returning at the Sunshine Coast on December 17 to finish fourth, but joined all the dots on Saturday to post an impressive win.
“We made a plan to have him come to the Magic Millions at his third run back,” revealed Bryan Guy.
“He had no luck at the Sunshine Coast and then got the luck today and now we’re in the Millions!
“This horse has just improved and improved and improved.”
A $30,000 Magic Millions Book 2 purchase for Bundall Racing from the Manx Park draft, Golden Artie was bred by Spendthrift Australia and is the first winner from former smart Melbourne race mare Dig a Pony.
Golden Artie is a three-quarter brother-in-blood to multiple Group III winner and $600,000 earner Flirtini, who is a half-sister to his dam Dig a Pony by Artie Schiller (USA).
Dig a Pony had a colt foal by Spendthrift shuttler Vino Rosso (USA) last spring and was then one of 148 mares covered by their first season sire Dirty Work, a Group II winning son of Written Tycoon.
Turning 21 this year, Artie Schiller stands at Stockwell Thoroughbreds in Victoria and is best known as the sire of Group I sprinter and sire Flying Artie.
