Bjorn Baker is never afraid to start a nice horse off in the country and he did it with Group I winners Overpass and Steffi Magnetica, with progressive Extreme Choice three year-old Stallone making it back to back wins at Orange on Monday when bolting clear to win by daylight.
Stallone had three unplaced runs during the winter as a colt, but is a different horse this preparation with two impressive wins from two starts.
He broke his maiden over 1400m on December 16 winning by three and half lengths and then doubled the margin when winning again for Ashley Morgan by more than seven lengths in the 1600m Class 1 as a short priced favourite.
A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase for Darby Racing/Deburgh Equine from Bell River Thoroughbreds, Stallone continues the winning run being enjoyed by Darby Racing, who won both the $2million Group II ATC Ingham with Robusto and $500,000 ATC Inglis Nursery with Within the Law earlier this month.
Stallone is the second winner for Good Looking Mare, an unraced Medaglia D’Oro daughter of US Group II winner Sherine.
Newgate Farm’s flagship sire, Extreme Choice is a remarkable stallion in having produced a Golden Slipper winner in Stay Inside and a Melbourne Cup winner in Knight’s Choice, so while fertility is an issue, quality in his offspring is not.
Extreme Choice has 13 entries for Magic Millions.
