And it’s the 2024 Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic, and it’s Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott who have Tempestuous as the $2.10 Favourite with Australian betting agencies.
Fresh from victory in a Randwick 750m Trial, Tempestuous was a head second to former Golden Slipper favourite Captain Kirk in the season opener Breeder’s Plate of 1000m at Randwick.
In jumping from Barrier 4, he tracked the leader New England into the home straight, and in passing New England he was overtaken by the eventual winner King Kirk to be beaten by a head.
Now looking for winning black type glory in this Race Restricted Magic Millions Sales graduates event of 1100m, he’ll again be ridden by Nash Rawiller jumping from Barrier 2 in a field of 11.
In being a $375,000 buy for Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he’s sired by the Leading 2YO Sire in Extreme Choice.
An August foal from Newgate Farm, Tempestuous is from the placed Sepoy mare Windradyne, who’s half-sister to Champion European Older Sprinter Soul Power, and to dam of Fas and Silva.
As Tempestuous is also the $8 race favourite for the $3m The Star Magic Millions 2Y0 Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday 11 January, the same day as the Wyong 150th Anniversary Raceday.
With Wyong broadcasting “Watch The Champions of Tomorrow Win Big,” it’s the Peter Snowden trained Memo who’s highly fancied at $3,60 being in the hands of Kerrin McEvoy from Gate 10.
In carrying the fillies weight of 54.5kg, against the males at 56.5kg, Memo was third in the Gimcrack Stakes of 1000m at Randwick, and returns after a let-up in winning a 900m Canterbury Trial.
Sired by Champion 2YO and sire Capitalist, winner of the MM 2YO Classic and Golden Slipper, she was a $350,000 Gold Coast graduate for Paul Snowden Racing and is also from Newgate Farm.
In being the third foal of Gr3 placed Fastnet Rock winner Notation, her grandam is South African Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Chocolicious, being from stakes winner Candy Box.
The Golden Rose winning first season sire Ole Kirk has his filly O’Ole at $7.50 having been second Bel Merci in the Gimcrack Stakes and next a last start fifth to New England in the Golden Gift.
With the in-form Jason Collett jump from Gate 3, she was a $325,000 buy from Gilgai Farm, being from the winning Sepoy mare Veillor, a half- sister to Gr2 Alter, also from Gr2 Hosannah.
At $ 10 is the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained Blitzburg who is coming off victory over Offenbach in a Newcastle 2YO Maiden Hcp of 900m, and will again be ridden by Tim Clark, from 5.
A $650,000 Gold Coast graduate, he’s by the legendary Snitzel from the Japanese mare Sierra, who’s half-sister to sire Golden Rock, from Gr1 winner Golden Doc A, family of Unusual Suspect.
With Michael Freedman last year winning the 2YO Classic with Highness, who went onto run second to Storm Boy in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, this year he has the Snitzel colt Offenbach.
A neck second to Blitzburg in his first start in a 2YO Maiden Handicap at Newcastle, he’s at $11 with agencies, and will start from Barrier 1 with Tommy Berry, and a $650,000 Gold Coast buy.
The Magic Millions Wyong 3YO & 4YO Stakes is a close affair with the Peter Snowden trained 3yo gelding Zealously at $3.40 for Kerrin McEvoy from Gate 5, winning his last two 1000m starts.
In winning the BJ McLauchlan Stakes at two-years, he was a $270,000 buy at the 2023 Gold Coast Sales, by the champion sprinter Harry Angel, the family of Earthquake and Madam Pommery.
It’s a three-way tie in sharing the $4.20 second line of betting with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott 4yo gelding The Novelist in drawing the outside of 10 runners for Billy Loughnane, the 4yo mare Ballroom Bella in Gate 2 with Tim Clark, and Tommy Berry on 3yo filly Bauhina further out in Gate 3.
