Girls Are Ready Punches Her Ticket to the Gold Coast

Mark Smith - Saturday December 22

Consistent filly Girls Are Ready earned her ticket to the $2 million Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast on January 12 with a thoroughly professional performance in Saturday's 2yo Handicap over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm.

Jumping quickly for Jess Taylor, Girls Are Ready sat alongside the pacesetting favourite Aeecee Vinco who she quickly dropped turning for home. Under a minimum of urging in the closing stages, Girls Are Ready defeated Sebrakate (Sebring) by two lengths with Aeecee Vinco (Charge Forward) three-quarter of a length back in third. (photo Steve Hart) .

Advertisement


The daughter of Better Than Ready advances her record 2 wins and 1 third from 3 starts with earnings of $81,700.

The race would have been eagerly watched by breeders with all seven starters having siblings on offer at the sales in the new year.

Frank Cleary, the father of winning trainer Joe, said it was now all roads to the Gold Coast.

"Her turn of the foot was the surprising part of it because the plan was to get back and get cover," Frank Cleary said.

"But she began so well, you just don't waste that, particularly with two-year-olds, you've got to be there somewhere.

"Joe's always been happy with her. He said early in the piece that this goes good and he said the one by Epaulette (Maya Miracle) that goes just as good so hopefully the boy has a couple of good ones.

"Joe would have been happy just to get enough prizemoney to get into the race. He'll be sitting back very happy now that it's back to the Gold Coast with the white shoes and gold bangles."

Consigned to the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by her breeder Yarramalong Park, Girls Are Ready was purchased by Joe Cleary for $30,000.

She is the first foal of the Commands mare Commanding Epic a half-sister to the stakes-placed She's Miss Devine out of a half-sister to Group II Light Fingers Stakes winner Sharp (Danzero) from the family of the Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Angst (Kala Dancer).

Yarramalong Park will offer the full sister to Girls are Ready at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 577.

Currently the leading first season sire, Lyndhurst Stud's Better Than Ready has made an outstanding start to his stud career that has taken off at a time when Vinery Stud bids adieu, after 18 wonderful seasons, to his record-setting sire More Than Ready (USA).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Mulberry Racing Purchase $550,000 Colt at Keeneland September
Australian based Mulberry Racing featured on the buyers list during the first session of the Keenland September Yearling Sale purchasing a colt by Quality Road for $550,000.
Kiwi Cup Hopeful Headed to Melbourne
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang will fly to Melbourne on Wednesday to commence his path towards the A$10 million feature.
Vale, Ryan Smith
Victorian breeding farm Kulani Park are mourning the loss of partner and family member Ryan Smith.
$3.3million Gun Runner Colt Tops Keeneland September Day 1
Keeneland’s 2025 September Yearling Sale began Monday with double-digit gains while posting a record average price of $653,208 and selling 15 horses for $1 million or more led by a colt by Gun Runner for $3.3 million to M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm. The average topped the previous record $611,038 for a single session set during Day 2 in 2024, and the number of seven-
Better Than Ready Hits 21
Lyndhurst Stud’s long-time front-runner Better Than Ready continues to repel the formidable challenges of Deep Field and Rubick for number of individual winners by a first season sire after Golly Hut broke his maiden at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday to become winner number 21.
Tragic News from Milburn Creek – Vale, Secret Admirer
Spring brings so many foaling stories from our studs each year and while the majority have a happy ending, sometimes things sadly don’t go as planned.
17 Winners for Better Than Ready
It’s been an amazing season for Lyndhurst Stud’s exciting young sire Better Than Ready and it got better again on Wednesday when he posted his 17th first crop winner with a Sunshine Coast victory for talented gelding Ready to Roam.
MRC Committee Returned Unopposed
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed the results of the 2025 nominations for the MRC Executive Committee and the Mornington Advisory Group (MAG), which will be formally ratified at the Club’s Annual General Meeting on 25 September.
G1 Manikato Next for Alabama Lass
New Zealand sprinter Alabama Lass will press on for a tilt at the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley later this month following her runner-up effort in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at the Melbourne track last Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 9
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.