Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday December 23

Some great two-year-old action around Australia on Saturday with the Drinkwise Plate at Randwick and Group III Magic Millions BJ McLachlan Stakes at Doomben, sure to provide a pointer to the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast in January.

The Breeders' Plate winner, Empire Of Japan (Snitzel), and Gimcrack Stakes winner Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) return to the track in the Drinkwise Plate. They will face off against the $1.1 million I Am Invincible colt Godfather, which made an impressive career debut in the Phelan Ready Stakes at Eagle Farm on December 10.

Miss Coota (image Munce Racing)

In the BJ McLachlan Stakes, Chris Munce's speedball Miss Coota will stretch out to 1200m for the first time.

The daughter of Spirit Of Boom is unlikely to have an easy time of it in front with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained, The Novelist among the nominations.

Advertisement

The Novelist honoured Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By with his first winner with a 5-length romp on debut at Kembla Grange on December 10.  

The chances do not end there with Chrysaor (Better Than Ready), Worx (Capitalist), the debutant Godzilla (Shalaa),  Mighty (Spirit Of Boom), and Excel D'Or (Exceed And Excel) all having their supporters.

Still, you have to believe in what you see with Miss Coota. Nothing has come near her in two starts.

After debuting with a seven-and-a-half length romp on a good track at Eagle Farm on October 8, she barely broke a sweat with a five-and-a-quarter length win over 1100m on a heavy 8 at Doomben a fortnight later.

Miss Coota's owners, Gerard and Debbie O'Toole bought the daughter of Spirit Of Boom in association with Arthur Hoyeau for $140,000 from the Raheen Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Bred by the Nolan family, Miss Coota, like the recently retired American sensation Flightline, descends from the Phipps family's foundation mare Blitey (River Ridge).

Miss Coota a $140,000 Magic Millions yearling

A daughter of the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1966, Lady Pitt (Sword Dancer), Blitey, some notable performers.

They include;

Fantastic Find (Mr Prospector) won the 1990 Hempstead Handicap and is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Finder's Fee (Storm Cat). Finder's Fee is the great-granddam of Flightline.

Dancing Spree (Nijinsky II) won the 1989 Breeders' Cup Sprint, Suburban Handicap, and the 1990 Carter Handicap.

The unraced Oh What a Dance (Nijinsky II), dam of 1994 American champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize and 1998 Matron Stakes winner Oh What a Windfall.

Furlough (Easy Goer) won the 1999 Ballerina Stakes and is the granddam of Miss Coota's dam Rock Garden (Fastnet Rock).  

A $150,000 Easter Yearling, Rock Garden was a ten-start maiden. Her best results came when second at Ipswich and third at Doomben.

Rock Garden has a yearling colt by Nicconi in the Raheen Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Farnan Draws Level with Ole Kirk on 13 Winners
There’s a good battle going to decide the leading first season sire by Australian winners and with just seven days of the season to run Farnan is laying down the gauntlet to the long time division leader Ole Kirk.
St Mark’s Basilica Filly Impressive at Ascot
Due back at Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had an impressive new winner overnight at Ascot in the UK where Princess Petrol stormed to victory.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 24
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 27
Here is the full list of 54 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
Two New SW's for Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot is set to be crowned Champion Australian Second Season Sire and is headed back to Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $275,000 and overnight he produced two new stakes-winners in the UK and Ireland.
Carrazzo Melbourne 'Sport of Kings' Tax Talk
It gives Baumgartners great pleasure to announce that the Paul Carrazzo’s “Sport of Kings” horse tax talk returns to Inglis Melbourne on Wednesday 13 August.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 25
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2026 Inglis Yearling Sale Series Entries Open
Entries for the 2026 Inglis Select Yearling Sales Series – which will be headlined by the presence of the highly anticipated Snitzel x Winx colt at the Easter Sale – are now open.
Zousain Sunday 2YO Double
Zousain is surging to the end of the season with a double of new 2YO winners on Sunday bringing his seasonal tally of juvenile winners to 13.