A centimetre-perfect ride from jockey Jason Collett delivered a thrilling last-stride victory for Heavenly Impact in the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate (1100m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
The three-year-old son of Harry Angel shrugged off his maiden status in spectacular fashion, a year after finishing second in the $500,000 Magic Millions Debut (900m) on the same raceday. Starting from barrier two, Collett’s patience and precision proved decisive, steering the gelding through a narrow gap in the final 300m to edge out King of Dragons on the line.
Trainer Marcus Wilson, who operates a small local stable, was overjoyed by the result. Having purchased Heavenly Impact for just $30,000 from the Fernrigg Farm draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale (Book 2), the win felt particularly rewarding.
A Challenging Horse to Train
Wilson described Heavenly Impact as a “quirky horse” who has tested his patience throughout the training process.
“I’ve been pulling my hair out with this horse,” Wilson admitted after the race. “He’s been very tricky to get into the barriers, and he’s one of those horses that makes me nervous on raceday.
“But it’s good to see him get the job done. He’s a big horse who’s just needed time. We turned him out after the Oxlade Stakes in June, gelded him, and that’s probably been the making of him. Cutting him – it’s the ultimate gear change.”
Despite the gelding’s lack of early speed, Wilson was confident Heavenly Impact could improve over longer distances in the future.
“I think you’ll see a better horse over seven furlongs. This was our grand final – being a local, it means so much to win here. We don’t have the big chequebooks like some of the big blokes. We just chip away, and he only cost $30,000 a couple of years ago.”
Collett’s Winning Touch
Jason Collett praised Heavenly Impact’s development, noting how well-placed the gelding was after a challenging winter carnival campaign in Queensland last year.
“He was nicely placed,” Collett said. “He just missed in a similar race last year, and he hadn’t had a lot of luck during the winter.
“They’ve worked on his barrier manners, and I was fortunate. The gate definitely helped at this stage of the day.”
Collett’s ride capitalised on a strong barrier draw and gave Heavenly Impact every chance to excel, with the gelding showing impressive acceleration in the final stages of the race.
A Victory Against the Odds
The win marks a significant achievement for Marcus Wilson’s stable, which lacks the financial power of larger racing outfits. Heavenly Impact’s victory demonstrates the potential for smaller operations to achieve big results with the right mix of patience, skill, and determination.
Wilson’s decision to geld the horse after his winter campaign has paid dividends, with the trainer hoping this victory is just the start of a promising career for Heavenly Impact.
The gelding’s sire, Harry Angel, continues to impress in the bloodstock world. Four yearlings by the sire sold for an average of $256,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Interestingly, Heavenly Impact’s half-brother by Exceedance was passed in with an $80,000 reserve just a day before his maiden-breaking win.
For Wilson and his team, however, the focus remains on celebrating this local success story. “It’s a great day for us,” Wilson said.
