The Bjorn Baker trained filly had been placed in all three of her previous runs this spring in Group fillies races as part of the Princess Series and proved just as effective when pitched against the colts.
Allowed to settle last in the field of 14, Champagne Cuddles unwound a big finish to defeat all bar runaway winner Trapeze Artist in the 1400 metre feature.
Bred by Turangga Farm and consigned to the Magic Millions, Champagne Cuddles (image Steve Hart) was passed in shy of her $200,000 reserve and is leased by Champagne Ladies
Syndicate, a big syndicate of very happy women including members of the Ramsey
family.Although not yet a stakes-winner, Champagne Cuddles has the impressive record of two wins and four placings from six starts with prizemoney topping $460,000 and will have plenty of opportunity to better her record in the next few weeks with entries for the Group I ATC Flight Stakes and MRC Thousand Guineas.
Champagne Cuddles is the second last foal for Turangga Farm legend Sky Cuddle, who died last year leaving behind a yearling colt by Not a Single Doubt that was sold earlier this year at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale for $70,000 to Stephen Gray.
Bred and retained to race by Stuart Ramsey, Sky Cuddle won the Group I VRC Emirates Stakes and was the best of five stakes-winners from the farm's blue hen producer Suggestive, so it is lovely to see Champagne Cuddles gaining Black Type and adding further success to this terrific female family.
The three year-old fillies division has looked quite open this year with Formality and Alizee winning the first three legs of the Princess Series and Catchy and Shoals looking the top contenders in Melbourne.
Champagne Cuddles has been doing the hard yards and her turn for a big feature win cannot be far off.
