Spanish Treasure landed a handsome payday on Saturday with a win in the $250,000 Carbine Club Queensland Magic Millions Maiden Plate at the Gold Coast and trainer Tony Gollan will now contemplate a start in next Saturday’s $3 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas with the improving gelding.
The son of Pierata was sent forward from an outside gate by jockey Tommy Berry and made all under a controlled gallop before stealing a winning break at the 300m.
He was given a comfortable time of it over the last 100m of the race and had a length-and-a-half to spare over runner-up You Sexy Thing on the post, with a further half-length back to Hit The Switch in third.
A $45,000 purchase by Gollan and bloodstock agent John Foote out of the Taormina Lodge draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, Spanish Treasure is the first winner for Lady Selkirk, a winning half-sister by Von Costa de Hero to Group III winner Turnitaround.
He was placed in all three starts as a two-year-old and ran fourth behind Grafterburners first-up in the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm.
Gollan said the gelding boasts obvious upside and, provided he recovers well from Saturday’s win, he will give serious consideration to running the horse again next week.
“I ran him in the Gold Edition the other day and it was a two-part plan really,” Gollan said.
“If he was good enough to win that we were going to go to the Guineas and if not, we’d come here to the maiden.
“Who knows, we might back up here in seven days’ time.
“He’s a young horse learning and I think he got it pretty right today.
“It was a good, positive ride from Tommy, I didn’t think we’d lead but I really wanted to be forward to midfield but when we led at a good, controlled gallop, I wasn’t worried.
“He’s a quality horse and his form shows you that.”
Berry said he was happy to push the button and go forward from barrier 13, knowing that Spanish Treasure was fit and ready for his first assignment at 1400m.
Berry will ride current favourite Ninja in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas so Gollan will need to find a new rider for Spanish Treasure if the horse backs up in that race.
“We were on the best horse in the race and the idea was to be a little bit closer than midfield and try to find some cover,” Berry said.
“The last thing I asked Tony before the race was what he thought about him at 1400m and when he said that he’d run it no problems, I was happy to take him to the front.
“We got a very easy time in the middle stages and I was able to build up the speed from the 500m to get everyone out of their comfort zone.
“He won the way I thought he could.”
Another $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate will be run over 1100m next Saturday.
