IT’S the exact anniversary of Wyong’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic – and the boys have it over the girls!
But there’s not much in it.
And it’s shaping as another battle between the sexes on Wednesday with the colt Tempestuous ($2.40 with TAB.com.au on Tuesday morning) favorite ahead of the filly Memo ($4.60).
On the eve of the 22nd running of the $200,000 feature, colts and geldings have won 12 to the fillies’ nine.
The first 2YO Classic was run at Wyong on December 11, 2003, and was known as the Strawberry Hill 2YO Slipper, backed by the then Central Coast stud’s owner John Singleton.
The race, which changed to its current Magic Millions banner in 2006, was run at 1000m for the first four runnings, and has been held at 1100m since 2008.
The 2YO Classic was actually run twice in 2008 – and fillies won both – as an EI (equine influenza) outbreak forced the 2007 edition to be postponed until February and then run again at the normal timeslot in December.
Wyong's two-year-old feature could not have had better advertisements than its first two winners – Not A Single Doubt in 2003 and Snitzel in 2004.
Both horses subsequently proved themselves top-class stallions, and their racetrack deeds went a long way toward ensuring the longevity of the race.
Not A Single Doubt and Snitzel franked the worth of the Wyong innovation by going on a few weeks later to be placed in the “grand final” – the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.
Not A Single Doubt was runner-up to subsequent Golden Slipper winner Dance Hero in 2004, and Snitzel was third to Bradbury’s Luck the following year.
Subsequent Wyong MM winners Karuta Queen (2010), Unencumbered (2013) and Capitalist (2015) all won the Gold Coast Magic Millions.
Additionally, Wyong winners She’s Meaner, Madenaaty (the only interstate visitor to so far be successful), She’s All Class and the now deceased Highness all were placed at the Gold Coast.
And there have been Wyong winners whose products have also won the Central Coast’s feature two-year-old event.
Not A Single Doubt has sired three winners (Karuta Queen in 2010, Farnan in 2019 and Soaring Ambition in 2021), Snitzel sired last year’s winner Highness, and the 2015 winner Capitalist sired 2022 winner Sovereign Fund, and is represented by Memo this year.
Snitzel has both Blitzburg and Offenbach – who on debut ran the quinella in a 2YO Maiden Plate (900m) at Newcastle on November 27 – lining up in the 2024 renewal, and also the mare Until Valhalla contesting the Magic Millions Wyong 3 & 4YO Stakes (1200m).
Tempestuous’ co-trainer Gai Waterhouse AO holds the Wyong 2YO Classic record with five winners.
She was successful with Pulsator (2005), She’s Meaner (2008), Bright Expectations (2009), Unite and Conquer (2018) and Farnan (2019; the latter two in partnership with Adrian Bott.
Offenbach’s rider Tommy Berry has ridden the most Wyong MM Classic winners. His three victories came on Karuta Queen (2010), Soaring Ambition (2021) and Highness last year.
James McDonald, Blake Shinn, and Zac Purton each have ridden two winners.
Story John Curtis, December 10, 2024
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