The $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden (1200m) started a big day of action at the Gold Coast on Saturday and was won by the Yarraman Park sold filly Newsreader, whose half-brother will be offered by Yarraman Park at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 377.
Trained by John O’Shea for a Champion Thoroughbreds Syndicate that includes her breeders, Newsreader showed her class with a dominant two length win with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle, her first victory in seven starts.
“Brenton got into a beautiful position just following one of the other chances, I think the biggest problem in these races is that you can sometimes get cluttered up and he was never going to be from there,” O’Shea said.
“She’s a very fit filly and once she got clear she pinned her ears back and raced away, so it was good.
“We were happy with her but it’s all about doing things right on raceday and once she was well behaved behind the gates and down in the stalls it gave us a bit of confidence.”
O’Shea has been active across the first four days of the Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast with several notable purchases including Lot 438, a Shalaa filly from Arrowfield Stud’s draft that was knocked down for $360,000 and Lot 864, a Pierro colt from Coolmore Stud's draft that also fetched $360,000.
“It’s been a fantastic week, it’s just a really good time of the year to be here,” he said.
“I’ve bought some beautiful horses and we’ve got some really excited clients.”
Despite the lack of a win on her previous resume, Press Statement filly Newsreader had been placed three times and was fourth in the Listed ATC Reginal Allen Stakes last spring so was well overdue to break through.
Newsreader was bought from the Yarraman draft at Magic Millions for $170,000 and has returned over $178,000 in prizemoney. She is the first winner for Group I placed Thorn Park mare Thinking of You, who comes from the family of Group III winner Spurred On and stakes-winner Live Theatre.
Thinking of You has an I Am Invincible two year-old colt that made $450,000 at Inglis Easter last year for Yarraman and has been named Governor.
Yarraman will offer the current yearling from Thinking of You, a colt by Zoustar as Lot 377 at Inglis Classic.
