Merchant Navy Filly Wins G3 Magic Night

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 11

She was a maiden going into the Group III ATC Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday, but the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Merchant Navy filly Steel City justified the faith of punters when scoring a resounding victory as favourite.

Steel City cruises home alone in the G3 Magic Night - image Steve Hart

Second at her first two starts behind Red Resistance at Randwick and then to Learning to Fly in the Group III ATC Widden Stakes, Steel City was seen as desperately unlucky when finishing midfield and untested in the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes.

Advertisement

Connections elected to take luck out of the equation on Saturday with Steel City cruising straight to the lead for Regan Bayliss and powering clear to win by three lengths running half a second quicker than Pago Pago Stakes winner Shinzo.

“I was hoping that would happen last start (Blue Diamond) as were a lot of people, but that’s racing,” said Ciaron Maher.

A $700,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock/Best Bloodstock, Steel City was bred by Go Bloodstock and is the most expensive yearling ever sold by Merchant Navy and becomes his first stakes-winner.

$700,000 Magic Millions purchase Steel City is the highest priced yearling by Merchant Navy.

She is bred to be good as a half-sister to dual Group I winning sprinter September Run and is the third winner from Group III winning Street Cry (IRE) mare Pittsburgh Flyer.

Pittsburgh Flyer has a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel and was covered last spring by I Am Invincible after slipping to Exceed and Excel.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tresemme Magic Night Stakes Gr3 1200m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:10.08
1
Steel City
- 2f Merchant Navy (AUS) x Pittsburgh Flyer (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Regan Bayliss 55.5
2
2.8
Blanc De Blanc
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Another Sunday (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55.5
I Am Invincible
3
3.2
August Bloom
- 2f More Than Ready (USA) x Peace Time (USA) (War Front (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tom Sherry 55.5
More Than Ready
4
3.3
Remedies
- 2f Sepoy (AUS) x Virage De Fortune (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tim Clark 55.5
5
3.8
Shine Your Light
- 2f Jukebox (AUS) x Unknown Destiny (AUS) (Zizou (AUS))
Tnr: Cassandra Stummer Rdr: Reece Jones 55.5
6
4.8
Untouchable Legend
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Endean Rose (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Ryan Maloney 55.5
7
4.9
Hellbent On You
- 2f Hellbent (AUS) x Double Dream (FR) (Lawman (FR))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 55.5
8
5.1
Tu Qui Santuzza
- 2f Pierro (AUS) x Santuzza (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: B Prebble 55.5
9
9.1
Bianco Nero
- 2f National Defense (GB) x Ladder (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55.5
10
9.5
Pretty Rho
- 2f Lonhro (AUS) x Gheedaa (AUS) (Hinchinbrook (AUS))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: M J Dee 55.5
11
13.3
Fire Lane
- 2f Hellbent (AUS) x Heritage Lane (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: J Ford 55.5
12
14.6
Kimmela
- 2f Vancouver (AUS) x Good Time Girl (AUS) (All American (AUS))
Tnr: Edward O'Rourke Rdr: W Pike 55.5
More Reading...
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
Three trials for juveniles at Hawkesbury on Monday produced some interesting results with the most impressive winner being the half-sister to dual Group I winner September Run.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
Inglis Confirm Skybird for Everest Slot
Inglis is thrilled to confirm G1 winner Skybird (Exosphere) as our representative for the running of the $20m The Everest.