Toowoomba trainer Ron Macrae put up the “not for sale” sign after promising youngster Aquatorial scored a commanding win at Doomben.
Aquatorial recorded his third win from seven starts when he easily downed stablemate Slysera by 1-1/2 lengths in the Mother QTIS Two-Years-Old Handicap (1110m).
A $50,000 purchase at the Magic Millions sales, Aquatorial will be aimed for the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January.
“He’s a 1400-metre horse and I’m looking forward to the Magic Millions and that’s where we’re headed with him now,” Macrae said.
Aquatorial is a half-brother to Macrae’s former top two-year-old, the ill-fated Bonza Crop who had to be euthanased following a fall at Eagle Farm four years ago.
Macrae is a part-owner of Aquatorial along with Toowoomba octogenarians Todd and Val Robinson and two Sydney doctors.
“We’ve had a few offers to sell him but he’s not for sale,” Macrae said.
The latest offer was for $400,000 from Singapore while two previous approaches were made to sell him to Hong Kong.
Macrae was delighted with his quinella but was happier to see his apprentice Jason Letherby win his first Saturday metropolitan race.
Letherby started as an apprentice with Rob Heathcote in Brisbane before moving to Toowoomba to ride.
“It’s nice to get my first city winner on a Saturday, especially for my boss,” Letherby said.
Letherby settled in Australia almost five years ago after riding mostly in Taunton in England.
Macrae believes he’s found the key to Aquatorial who had a bad habit of missing the start early in his career.
“He was a bit gate shy but he’s mended his ways since I took the blinkers off him two starts back and added winkers,” he said.
AAP TURF
