Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Royal Merchant stamped herself as a filly with potential after posting her second win from three starts at Randwick on Friday afternoon.
Fifth on debut back in June behind subsequent stakes-winner Kibou, Royal Merchant kicked off her current campaign with a win at Canterbury last month and was a short priced favourite for the Benchmark 64 event over 1250m.
The daughter of Merchant Navy travelled smoothly for Jason Collett and let down with a big finish to reel in smart gelding King of Naples to win by half a length and has now won over $75,000 in prizemoney.
A $160,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Edinburgh Park draft for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, Royal Merchant is the first winner for Seventhchic, a metro winning half-sister to stakes-placed Alburq tracing in tail female line to blue hen Eau D’Etoile, the dam of Group I winners Bint Marscay, Filante and Kenny’s Best Pal.
Merchant Navy stands at a fee of $27,500 and has 11 entries for Magic Millions 2023.
