Pierro Colt Favourite for $2million MM 3YO Guineas

Tara Madgwick - Saturday December 30
Exciting colt Pierata stamped himself as the horse to beat in the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on Saturday week with a dominant win in the Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben on Saturday and the son of Pierro is also in line for the biggest payday in Queensland racing history.



Beaten narrowly at his previous start, Pierata (image Magic Millions , Mark McInally Photos) got worked up in the heat and stepped away slowly from the gates on that occasion, but his trainer Greg Hickman took steps to ensure his star colt was perfect for this assignment.

Ice cooled ear muffs were applied to Pierata before he went to the mounting enclosure and only removed at the gates, so the talented colt was cool, calm and collected when he jumped away.

He jumped smartly for Corey Brown from gate 11 to go forward and then settled fifth before drifting back to seventh before the turn. When asked to accelerate he dropped his rivals quickly and powered clear to win the 1350 metre sprint by two and a half lengths.

Brown has long been a fan of Pierata and feels the addition of ear muffs, pre-race, have been a masterstroke by Hickman.

"He was already a very good horse but the ear muffs could be the key to him becoming a very, very good horse," Brown said.

"He was quite colty before his last race and the ear muffs have made him a lot more relaxed today.

"I was posted three-wide early in the race but once I dragged him back a little bit and then exposed him on the corner he put them away pretty easy.

"I said last time he is a future Group I horse, I think he is the real deal."

Pierata was sold by Kitchwin Hills An emotional Hickman was briefly lost for words after the race but said all he now had to do was keep Pierata happy for the next fortnight.

"You can't cry over spilt milk, with what happened last time, but today he showed you what he can do," Hickman said.

"I thought we might have been a bit far back in the race, but he goes very good this horse.

"We just have to keep him fresh and happy. We can just keep him ticking over now and cross our fingers."

Group II placed last season, Pierata has the overall record of three wins and two placings from seven starts with prizemoney topping $270,000.

That sum could be about to grow dramatically as Pierata will be eligible to collect the $500,000 summer crown bonus offered by Racing Queensland if he can win the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in two weeks time with a first prize cheque of $1.2 million.

A possible payday of $1.7 million would be the richest pay out in Queensland racing history and a phenomenal result for his large group of owners who include his trainer.

A $160,000 Magic Millions purchase for Greg Hickman from the Kitchwin Hills draft, Pierata was bred by Hobartville Stud and is a half-brother to Group III winning juvenile Ashokan.

PierroHe is the fourth winner from Group III winning Flying Spur mare November Flight, who produced a colt foal by Rubick this spring, but has no yearling for the sales.

Kitchwin Hills will present another terrific draft of 30 for the 2018 Magic Millions,click here to see them.

Pierata is the seventh stakes-winner for Coolmore's Golden Slipper winner Pierro, who goes from strength to strength.

The reigning Champion Australian First Season Sire, he is now setting the pace in the second season sires division by winners, earnings and stakes-winners!

The finest son of champion sire Lonhro, Pierro has 17 for Magic Millions, 9 for Inglis Classic, 4 for NZB Premier and 11 for Inglis Premier.



Advertisment
More Reading...
Racing’s Night of Champions August 28
45 of the top horses in Australia will be recognised for outstanding performances during the 2024/2025 racing season at Racing’s Night of Champions.
Extremely Good Week!
It’s been a memorable week for Star Thoroughbreds having sold their multiple Group winning mare Olentia for $2.6million and then the purple and white stars were back in the winner’s circle at Canterbury on Wednesday carried by 3YO Extreme Choice colt Estremo.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 6
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Zoustar Entering the Zenith
The dictionary tells us Zenith is an astronomical term —describing the highest point in an arc travelled by a star, planet or another celestial body- and in the case of this story it’s planet Zoustar!
One To Watch – Sandown
Fourth on debut behind the promising San Giovanni, who has since won again, the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Written Tycoon colt Duke Atreides was sent south to Victoria with instant success.
First Foal for Hilal Delights Grangewilliam Stud
The first foal by Grangewilliam Stud’s Group Two winner and multiple Group One performer Hilal arrived on Thursday morning with a filly born out of the well-related No Nay Never mare La Frox.
First Foal for Golden Mile – Now a Gelding
The Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas has been won in recent years by colts that have gone on to become some of our most exciting young sires - The Autumn Sun, Super Seth and Ole Kirk, but for the 2022 winner Golden Mile that path is not an option.
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
Snitzel’s Tyreek Too Good On Debut At Canterbury
Off the back of two unbeaten trial performances, it was no surprise to see the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trained Tyreek (Snitzel) start well in the money on debut before the 3yo gelding was simply too good for his rivals, winning the TAB Handicap (1200m) on Wednesday at Canterbury.
A Family Affair - Russian Camelot Filly Salutes at Sandown
Danny O’Brien enjoyed Group I success with outstanding colt Russian Camelot (IRE), so was understandably excited to produce his first metropolitan winner as a sire at Sandown on Wednesday and Censori comes from a family that he knows inside and out.