The 2-year-old Magnus debutant Miss Celine left fans stunned when she came from tailed-off last for the unlikeliest of wins in Wednesday’s Listed Magic Millions Debutant Stakes (100m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Blake Shinn for Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, Miss Celine jumped on terms before drifting back so quickly that Shinn had to scrub her along to stay attached to the field.
Still last of the 13 runners turning for home, Miss Celine came widest to pick off runner after runner to win, running away by a length.
The All Too Hard filly Bubion was second, with the winner’s stablemate Winmar (Written Tycoon) in third.
“She’s done everything right in her trials, and we were particularly happy with her last one when she hit the line,” Ben Hayes said.
“That was a very impressive win. I think I will have to watch it a couple more times because we had more in the race.
“Two-year-olds can look sharp at home then come to the races and get it all wrong. The thing about her is she is very professional. She works by herself and is very straightforward. She dropped the bit, and Blake was great, letting her take her time, so she flew around them.
“Big congratulations to Rob Crabtree. We’ve had a lot of success with him over the years. A result like this is a big thrill for the stable, and I’m sure it’s the same for Rob.”
A homebred for Robert Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm, Miss Celine is a sister to the Group II Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude winner Enbihaar, runner-up in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
An $825,000 purchase for Bahen Bloodstock from the Shadwell Dispersal in 2021, Enbihaar is the dam of last season’s smart 2-year-old Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot), who placed in the Group II Reisling Stakes and Listed Jim Moloney Stakes.
Miss Celine is the fourth winner from as many to race for the stakes-winning Strada mare Charm’s Honour.
Purchased by Dorrington Park for $115,000 at the 2014 National Broodmare Sale, Charm’s Honour foaled a Too Darn Hot (GB) filly on September 5.
Miss Celine is the 29th stakes-winner for Magnus and comes from the 14th crop.
Magnus carried the Crabtree’s red and white check silks to victory in the Group 1 AJC The Galaxy Hcp.
The son of Flying Spur died at Widden Stud in September 2023. He has 51 yearlings and four foals to date from eight mares he covered last spring.
