Sunlight First, Daylight Second!

Tara Madgwick - Saturday January 6
Northern Meteor's champion son Zoustar is the sire of exciting filly Sunlight, who blitzed her rivals to win in scintillating time at the Gold Coast on Saturday in a stunning dress rehearsal for the $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic next week.



Stakes-placed at Flemington at her only start in the spring, the Tony McEvoy trained filly won easily at the Gold Coast before Christmas over 900 metres and looked every inch a top class juvenile when winning the $60,000 Follow @aquisfarm On Twitter over 1100 metres.

She led for Luke Currie with the Waterhouse and Bott trained runner Terminology in close attendance, but with a furlong to run was in a class of her own.

Sunlight (image Magic Millions) zipped away to win by four and a half lengths under her own steam running the trip in 1:02.48, which was more than a second and a half quicker than Houtzen did when winning the same race last year.

Sunlight as a yearlingHoutzen backed up seven days later to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and connections will be hoping to see Sunlight do the same.

"That was an easy one to watch," said Tony McEvoy.

"She's a high class filly. It will be interesting to see how she's handled that, but I think this race will really bring her on.

"I wanted her to feel like a local. Now she's had two good looks at the track and she's ready."

A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bloodstock, Sunlight runs for a ladies syndicate headed by Mrs Fung that also includes Widden Stud's Katie Thompson and has now won $92,200.

"She's feisty like all the good girls," revealed Tony McEvoy.

"She likes her own space and will bare her teeth at you, but once she lets you in, she's kind and honest, a lovely filly."

Sunlight is poised to give the 'boom' colts Ef Troop and Jonker a good run for their money with first season sires Spirit of Boom and Zoustar accounting for the three standout favourites this year.

Bred by Widden Stud in partnership, Sunlight is a half-sister to Group III placed Sheikha and is the third winner from former speedy filly Solar Charged, winner of the Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes at her second start.

Widden Stud will offer the full sister to Sunlight at the Magic Millions as Lot 330 and you can see her below. 



Zoustar has 24 entries for the Magic Millions, six for Inglis Classic and 37 for Inglis Premier.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Miss Joelene Achieves Millionaire Status
This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Almanzor Stayer wins G3 Tattersalls Cup
It's been a long time since the  2022 Victoria Derby and some may have wondered whether the winner Manzoice was ever going to win again!
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Tattersall’s Mile For The Inflictor - Under The Louvre’s Second SW
Third at Listed level before winning at Doomben, the Craig Cousins-trained The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) then tackled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, and while not in the same league as winner War Wachine (Harry Angel), the 4yo gelding showed his class on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Private Eye’s Half-Brother King’s Secret Wins Again
Although he may never reach the heights of his older half-brother Private Eye, a Group 1 winner and earner of more than $12m to date, connections of King’s Secret (Shalaa) are sure to have plenty of their own fun with the 3yo gelding winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.