While Saturday’s focus is on the lucrative Magic Millions race day at the Gold Coast Turf Club, the opening races at both Flemington and Rosehill were won in impressive style by two-year-old Bivouac colts, Big Sky and Outspan.
With his third crop yearlings selling up to $300,000 in Book 1 at the recently completed Magic Millions yearling sale, the 2yo double on Saturday further highlighted the progeny of the Champion 3YO and three-time G1-winning son of Exceed And Excel.
Off the back of three jumpouts, including a win in his most recent one, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Big Span was sent out the equal favourite in the field of six runners down the Flemington 1000m straight.
Jockey Jordan Childs jumped the colt out well from the outside barrier where he crossed the field to come over the sit outside the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Boridi who held the rails.
As Luke Nolen started to urged Boridi along, Childs still had plenty of horse under him and when he asked for an effort at the 200m, the colt raced clear for a dominant two and three-quarter length victory.
So impressive was the victory, that the colt is now equal favourite with Guest House (Home Affairs) on the NSW TAB for the upcoming G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on February 21.
Purchased from the draft of Eureka Stud at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale for $140,000, Big Sky is the third winner from three to the races out of the Red Dazzler mare Zoom By.
The mare’s next foal, a filly by Spirit Of Boom will head to the upcoming Inglis Classic where she will sell as Lot 607 as part of Eureka Stud’s 12-strong draft.
Zoom By foaled a colt by Spirit Of Boom in October and has since been covered by Anamoe, whose first crop yearlings sold up to $1.1m at the Magic Millions yearling sale.
Just 15 minutes after Big Sky’s victory, the Michael Freedman trained Outspan improved off his fifth placed effort behind today’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic runner Knightsbridge, to win by a length and a quarter at Rosehill.
Sent off the race favourite, jockey Sam Clipperton managed to have the colt racing in fourth position on the rail after jumping from barrier two.
With leader Written In Munny leading the field into the home straight and kicking a few lengths clear, it allowed Clipperton to follow along the rail before pulling off the leaders heels to put himself in a challenge position.
Knuckling down at the 200m mark, Outspan reeled in the leader before racing away to break his maiden.
Ciaron Maher’s Brave Smash filly Long Throw who was making her debut, worked home extremely well in the testing track condition to finish in second and looks one to follow when she next appears at the races.
It's worth noting that previous winners of this race include the future stakes winners Wodeton, Remarque and Fully Lit, so it will be interesting to see how far Outspan can continue to improve.
A homebred for Godolphin, Outspan is the sixth winner from six to the races out of Lonhro’s full sister Shannara, a winner of the Scone’s Dark Jewel Classic and Hawkesbury Ladies Day Cup, both at Listed level.
From the family of stakes winners Niello, Zakouski, Albrecht, King’s Command, Diamond Deck, Circular and many more, Shannara has a yearling filly by Too Darn Hot, and after missing to Anamoe the following season she was covered in September by Bivouac.
With only Spirit Of Boom having more individual Australia 2yo winners so far this season, Bivouac is the sire of 27 winners to date headed by outstanding G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht and the New Zealand G2 winner Intention.
Having covered his fifth book of mares last season, the six-time Group winner covered a book of 104 mares at a fee of $55,000 (inc. GST).
