Spicer Thoroughbreds Win $1million Magic Mares with Choisir's Snapdancer

Media Release - Saturday January 15

Classy mare Snapdancer atoned for an unlucky placing in last year’s TAB Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1300m) with a dominant victory in Saturday’s edition of the $1 million feature race at the Gold Coast.

Advertisement
Snapdancer wins the $1million MM Mares - image Grant Courtney
 
It was an easy watch for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, as well as a massive group of owners involved in the daughter of Choisir via Spicer Thoroughbreds, with jockey James McDonald beginning well and able to assume a position outside the leader.

Snapdancer matched motors with the leader Vulpine as she quickened inside the final 400m but by the time the field passed the 100m post, the race was over with the five-year-old careering away for a near two-length win.
Maher said his stable had put a long-range plan in place to win the race and the last piece of the puzzle fell into place when he convinced McDonald to take the ride on the mare.

“She was very unlucky in this race last year and the boys were a little bit disappointed to it was a real target this year,” Maher said.

“We gave her a light spring and especially targeted her here.

“I asked JMac (James McDonald) to ride her and I think he might have been thinking of another one and I told him to have a look at her run last year and he first up run.

“That was enough for him to come across and jump on her.

“She can be a bit tardy away and I told him that’s where he would win it or lose it and he got a beautiful start and it was an easy watch from there.

“There’s a big team in her, Brad Spicer and the crew, so it’s fantastic.”

McDonald said he was confident of victory after Snapdancer left the barriers cleanly.

“She jumped really well and the race was all over,” McDonald said.
It was a big pay day for Snapdancer!

Presented as part of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2018 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Snapdancer attracted a winning bid of $180,000 by Victorian syndicator Brad Spicer.

Saturday’s win – Snapdancer’s fifth career victory – took the mare’s stake earnings beyond $930,000.
 
Maher and Eustace have been the most active buyer across the first four days of the 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale with more than 40 purchases, including a $1.7 million Not A Single Doubt colt (Lot 261) and a $1.5 million Pierro colt (Lot 419).

Sledmere Stud’s highlight in recent days came via the sale of a Zoustar colt (Lot 375) from their draft, that was purchased for $1.3 million by the Victorian Alliance, in partnership with Suman Hedge and David Redvers. 
Advertisment

Race Result - $1m Tab Magic Millions F&M 1300m

Gold Coast Track: Good(3) Time: 1:15.14
1
Snapdancer
- 5m Choisir (AUS) x Snapdragon (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55.5
2
1.8
Vulpine
- 5m Snitzel (AUS) x Elusive Leone (AUS) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: R Wiggins 57.5
3
2.3
Kiku
- 4m Zoustar (AUS) x Atotori (AUS) (Haradasun (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: N Rawiller 57.5
4
2.5
Brookspire
- 4m Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Be Inspired (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55.5
5
2.9
Krone
- 6m Eurozone (AUS) x Soft Landing (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: Tim Clark 59.5
6
3.1
Salateen
- 4m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Salma (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: Ryan Maloney 56.5
7
3.3
Incredulous Dream
- 4m Press Statement (AUS) x Incredulous (AUS) (Keep The Faith (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
8
3.5
Van Giz
- 5m Written Tycoon (AUS) x Witwatersrand (IRE) (Unfuwain (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J R Collett 55.5
9
3.8
Georgie's Pride
- 4m Better Than Ready (AUS) x She Can Command (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Desleigh Forster Rdr: J Byrne 55.5
10
4.0
She Can Sing
- 4m Your Song (AUS) x Streaking Comet (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Costa Rdr: Ben Thompson 55.5
11
4.8
Lady Of Luxury
- 4m Criterion (NZ) x Miss Beauty World (AUS) (God's Own (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Craig Williams 55.5
12
8.1
Beachbreak
- 5m Sebring (AUS) x Oakleigh Girl (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: R Fradd 55.5
13
12.1
Standoff
- 4m Smart Missile (AUS) x Fidele (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Grant & Peter Dalziel Rdr: B Prebble 55.5
More Reading...
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.