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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.

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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.

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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
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