Two rising stars stamped their authority on the racetrack during Saturday’s Magic Millions Rising Stars 3YO & 4YO Class 4 Plate at the Sunshine Coast, delivering thrilling performances and showcasing their future potential.
Wooloowin and Redford, both lightly raced yet highly promising, emerged victorious in their respective divisions of the lucrative $250,000 contest. Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle’s mare Wooloowin continues to impress, securing her fourth win from just seven starts with a commanding two-and-a-half-length victory in the fillies and mares division.
The four-year-old daughter of Capitalist showed class and composure under jockey Jason Collett, who executed a flawless ride to deliver the win. “She was very dominant,” Doyle remarked after the race. Collett and Doyle had carefully crafted a plan to assure Wooloowin would break cleanly from the gates, a minor but equally important detail which paid dividends. “She did step back, so she didn’t have to do too much work. It was a perfect ride, and it was pretty easy to watch from the top of the straight,” Doyle added.
Wooloowin’s victory is also a testimony to the patience of her connections. After taking 12 months off due to knee issues, Doyle opted to let her recuperate instead of racing her on wet tracks mid-year. “The owners showed patience, and they’ve been rewarded. She’s still only lightly raced, she’s only four years old, and I think she’s got many more wins to come,” Doyle expressed.
Purchased for $80,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Wooloowin is proving to be an incredible return on investment for her connections. Meanwhile, it was Stuart Kendrick’s Snitzel gelding, Redford, who stole the show in the colts and geldings division. Entering the race as a $21 outsider, Redford produced a tenacious finish to edge out odds-on favorite Moravia ($1.65), who had looked set to snag victory after receiving what appeared to be a textbook ride from Blake Shinn.
Under the urging of jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor, Redford dug deep in the final 50 meters to snatch victory away from Moravia’s grasp. The performance highlighted the gelding’s fighting spirit and potential, as he added a fifth win to his record from just seven starts, bringing his career prize money total to over $250,000.
Redford's pedigree is as impressive as his performances, too. Purchased for $1.05 million by TFI at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he hails from a prestigious bloodline including Not A Single Doubt and King’s Legacy. Racing enthusiasts will no doubt be keeping an eye on his full brother, who is set to go under the hammer as Lot 335 at next week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The victories of Wooloowin and Redford in the Magic Millions Rising Stars Plate serve to highlight the depth of talent surfacing from Australia’s racing industry. Both horses have demonstrated not only skill but also resilience and versatility, which are traits bound to stand them well for their forthcoming campaigns.
For Wooloowin, the patience exhibited by Nathan Doyle and her connections is clearly paying off, with the lightly raced mare on an upward trend. Meanwhile, Redford’s significant purchase price seems increasingly justified as he continues to deliver standout performances on the racetrack.