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 ensure Wooloowin would break cleanly from the gates, a minor but crucial detail that paid dividends. “She did step better, so she didn’t have to do too much work. It was a perfect ride, and it was a pretty easy watch from the top of the straight,” Doyle added.
Wooloowin’s victory is also a testament to the patience of her connections. After a 12-month break due to a knee issue, Doyle opted to give her additional time off rather than risk racing on wet tracks mid-year. “The owners showed patience, and they’ve been rewarded. She’s still only lightly raced, she’s only a four-year-old, and I think she’s got many more wins to come,” Doyle said.
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.
In the colts and geldings division, it was Stuart Kendrick’s Snitzel gelding, Redford, who stole the show. Entering the race as a $21 outsider, Redford produced a tenacious finish to edge out odds-on favourite Moravia ($1.65), who had looked set to claim victory after a textbook ride from Blake Shinn.
Under the urging of jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor, Redford dug deep in the final 50 metres to snatch victory 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 prizemoney total to over $250,000.
Redford’s pedigree is as impressive as his performances. Purchased for $1.05 million by TFI at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he hails from a prestigious bloodline that includes 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 in next week’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The victories of Wooloowin and Redford in the Magic Millions Rising Stars Plate underscore the depth of talent emerging from Australia’s racing industry. Both horses have demonstrated not only skill but also resilience and versatility, traits that bode well for their future campaigns.
For Wooloowin, the patience shown by Nathan Doyle and her connections is paying off handsomely, with the lightly raced mare on an upward trajectory. Meanwhile, Redford’s big-money purchase price appears increasingly justified as he continues to deliver standout performances on the track.
