GRACEFUL ANNA CLAIMS 3YO TROPHY
THE Gillian Heinrich-trained, Stathi Katsidis-piloted Military Rose landed a plunge when she bolted home to win today’s $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast Turf Club.
It was the first Gold Coast win in the 1200m Classic since Snippets saluted in the inaugural running in 1987.
The run of Military Rose in Queensland’s richest thoroughbred race was simply emphatic - the breakthrough hometown effort the highlight of the $4.6 million raceday.
After a clean jump and a fast first 300m, she rocketed to the front at the turn and within 100 metres had put five lengths between herself and the rest of the field.
Katsidis kept her going to the line and was never headed – going on to record a three and three quarter length win over Ambers Waltz (Corey Brown) in a race time of 1:10:27.
The hot pink-themed Heinrich Bloodstock Syndicate members were ecstatic as their $155,000 2009 Magic Millions Sales pickup instantly delivered a more than sevenfold return.
In the other seven figure feature, the David Pfieffer-trained Graceful Anna took out the $1million Queensland Racing Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.
The Warwick Farm-based filly covered the final 600 metres of the 1400m journey in 35:19 to hold off Tallow (Corey Brown) and Love Conquers All (Darren Beadman) to deliver one of the biggest wins of jockey Peter Rohl’s career.
“She’s the toughest filly I’ve ridden,” Rohl said.
“They are all special, but this one is right up there for me,” he said.
It was the fifth win from six starts for Graceful Anna who won by a long neck and a nose.
It was a day of top racing, high air temperatures and even higher glamour and Gold Coast Turf Club Chief Executive Grant Sheather said the Club was ecstatic with today’s event.
“The weather Gods were kind after a rainy week and the crowd was magnificent,” Mr Sheather said.
“The mood on course was sensational, our corporate and public areas were packed and the racing was exceptional across the entire program.
“Queensland’s biggest raceday just came together perfectly,” he said.
Earlier in the day Queensland Racing Minister Peter Lawlor confirmed a State Government funding package of more than $80 million over four years to develop key facilities across the state.
The package, sourced from the redirection of half of the revenue gained from wagering taxes, is designed to help revitalise the industry with a major redevelopment of the Gold Coast Turf Club identified as a priority.
Gold Coast Turf Club Chairman Andrew Eggleston welcomed the announcement but said he is keen to see the fine detail.
“Any injection of funding like this is of course warmly welcomed, but it’s a matter now of working closely with Queensland Racing to ensure the best possible outcomes for the industry and the Gold Coast.
“With regards today’s on-track activity, sincere congratulations must go to everyone involved in delivering the racing component of the 2010 BMW Magic Millions.
“The racing was fantastic and the crowd behaviour was exceptional,” he said.
 Excitement was also sky high in the David Jones Fashions on the Field with Brisbane entrants scoring a double in the men’s and women’s categories.
Kelly Power (30) from Wellington Point adopted a Katherine Hepburn look to take out the David Jones Most Stylish Female Racegoer.
Her simple but elegant 1950’s-inspired silver trench coat from Seduce and Midas black open toe shoes were enough for the judges to win the professional dancer and choreographer today’s supreme fashion award.
Twenty-one-year-old landscape architecture student Cliff Dean from Narangba took the men’s honours with an apricot pork pie hat, shirt and tie, grey trousers with braces and brown shoes…all chosen by girlfriend Ashleigh Robson.
Kelly and Cliff both received a David Jones shopping spree to the value of $4000 – Kelly also scoring for herself her own private stylist for a day.
Judge and David Jones stylist Kimberley Gardner praised the ‘stylish and chic’ fashions.
“The main trend today is a vibrant fusion of colours, pinks and pastels particularly – summer trends meeting raceday trends,” she said. |
