Arrowfield stallions are set to dominate both feature races at the $4.2 million Gold Coast meeting on 11 January after providing four of the six placegetters in last Thursday’s Wyong Magic Millions races.
Arrowfield graduate Sweet Idea (Snitzel-Flidais by Timber Country) drew on all her reserves of toughness and courage to win the $100,000 Wyong Magic Millions 3YO S. by a long neck from Weinholt, with Estonian Princess (Snitzel) another three-quarters of a length back in third place.
Purchased by Gai Waterhouse & James Harron for $240,000 from Arrowfield’s 2012 Magic Millions draft, Sweet Idea has now won more than $940,000 and has won or placed in all of her eight starts. Her record includes success in the ATC Silver Slipper S. G2, and a gallant third in the Golden Slipper G1.
Sweet Idea is the current favourite for the $1 million GCTC Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (R) LR, with her stablemate Aussies Love Sport (Redoute’s Choice) and recent Brisbane stakeswinner Into The Red (Not A Single Doubt) also at single-figure odds.
Arrowfield’s 2014 Magic Millions draft features four Snitzel fillies, among them Sweet Idea’s full sister.
Another Arrowfield graduate Geromayo (Charge Forward-Opportunity by Redoute’s Choice) found Unencumbered just a length too good for him in the $200,000 Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic 1100m, which has Restricted Listed Race status. Race favourite Sheer Style (Snitzel) was a half-length back in third place.
Geromayo, winner of $75,000 from his three starts, was a $42,500 purchase from Arrowfield’s draft by the Altieri family’s Newlands Thoroughbreds and is trained by Mick Price. The Stud’s 2014 consignment includes two colts and three fillies by Charge Forward, among them Lot 241 from the Redoute’s Choice mare Belle Giselle, a relative of the recently retired champion sire Zabeel.
Snitzel’s unbeaten Arrowfield-bred daughter Oakleigh Girl shares favouritism with Echo Gal for the $2 million GCTC Magic Millions 2YO Classic (R) LR, with Geromayo, Sheer Style and Not A Single Doubt’s daughter Totally Sure (fourth in Oakleigh Girl’s Calaway Gal S. LR), all quoted at double-figure odds.
The Arrowfield roster has supplied either the winner or runner-up in each of the last three runnings of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic: Sweet Idea (2nd, 2013), No Looking Back (by Redoute’s Choice; 2nd, 2012) and Karuta Queen (by Not A Single Doubt; won, 2011).
Four Arrowfield-sired runners have placed in the Magic Millions Guineas over the past three years: Sizzling (by Snitzel; 2nd, 2013), Happy Hussy (by Hussonet; 3rd, 2012), Startsmeup (by Danzero; 2nd, 2011), and Top Drop (by Snitzel; 3rd, 2011).
Snitzel, with only five crops of racing age, currently heads the Australian 2YO and 3YO Sires’ lists, and is the leading Australian-based stallion on the General list.
