The $175,000 Magic Millions Victorian 3YO and 4YO Classic (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday produced a dominant winner in Gin a Tonic, shining the spotlight on his half-brother by Ole Kirk to be offered at Magic Millions next month.
The Bevan Laming trained four year-old gelding by Better Than Ready has been in hot form since coming to Melbourne during the spring with wins at Cranbourne and Moonee Valley coming into this harder assignment.
Given a bold front running ride by Logan Bates, Gin a Tonic kicked away in the straight to win by three lengths taking his overall record to seven wins from 18 starts with prizemoney topping $486,000.
“He was even better today – he was always a query coming to 1200m, (but) when he didn’t cop that much pressure early, I was allowed to rate him today,” Bates said.
“Off the corner, I had to wake him up a little bit, he sort of wobbled off, but once I balanced him, he swapped legs and I gave him a reminder, geez he felt good late.
“When I looked at the big screen, and he’d done that to that sort of field, it was a good feeling. Great for the Laming crew, they’ve got a quality sprinter on their hands.
“You just let him burn around the rail, and he does the rest – I’m only a passenger.”
Gin a Tonic will be headed to the Gold Coast next for the rich Magic Millions raceday on January 17.
A $120,000 Magic Millions Book 2 purchase for his trainer from the Baramul Stud draft, Gin a Tonic is the best of four winners from The Quick One, a well related Fastnet Rock daughter of Group I winner Il Quello Veloce with the family also producing brilliant Group winning colt Growing Empire, now standing at Yulong Stud.
Westbury Stud will offer an Ole Kirk colt from The Quick One at Magic Millions as Lot 905.
