A winning debut from two-year-old Nordic Empire at Caulfield has stamped him as a Magic Millions Classic contender.
The Mick Price-trained colt attracted late support ahead of Saturday’s Flemington Equine Clinic Plate (1000m), firming from $6.50 to $5, and defied a wide run to power clear and win by 1-3/4 lengths.
Nordic Empire winning the Flemington Equine Clinic Plate at Caulfield ridden by Damien Oliver and trained by Mick Price - (photo by Steven Dowden/Race Horse Photos Australia)
The son of Wilander was chased home by $1.5 million yearling purchase Zulu Land ($7) who will be given a let-up before starting a Blue Diamond Stakes preparation.
But for Nordic Empire, his summer campaign is only just getting started with the Wyong Magic Millions in NSW next on the agenda as a warm-up to the $2 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January.
Price was confident Nordic Empire could figure at his first start and the colt backed up that opinion.
He will join stablemate Geromayo, a last-start runner-up in the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic at Ballarat, in the Wyong race on December 19.
“I have worked them together and this horse had the other horse covered,” Price said of Nordic Empire.
“He’s got a few things to learn. It would be nice to see him race perfect but I thought the end of the race was good for him where he showed a bit of stamina. And I think he beat the right horse, too.”
Jockey Damien Oliver was also impressed.
“He’s a nice little two-year-old. I like him,” Oliver said.
My Lucky Strike ($7.50) raced on-speed and fought on for third, three-quarters of a length behind Zulu Land, while favourite Orujo was fifth.
