By Glenn Davis
Talented fillies Katy’s Daughter and Sunlight have booked their places in next month’s $2.5 million Magic Millions Classic following impressive wins at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Katy’s Daughter, ridden by Paul Hammersley, got up in the last bound to down Sydney youngster Paquirri in the Aquis Farm Ladies QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (900m).
South Australian filly Sunlight later claimed the Early Bird Magic Millions QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (900m) to confirm her place in the $2.5m Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast in three weeks.
Both wins were in stark contrast with Katy’s Daughter storming home from midfield to snatch victory while Sunlight led all the way.
Also in contrast was their selling price with Katy’s Daughter going through the sale for only $10,000 while Sunlight was a $300,000 buy.
Katy’s Daughter’s win lifted her prizemoney to $60,200 after edging out Paquirri by a short neck with Boom Girl, only a neck away, third.
Katy’s Daughter is the latest progeny of Kiss Me Katy who helped put her trainer Steve O’dea on the map as a rising young star in Queensland’s training ranks when he first moved from Townsville to Brisbane in 2009.
Kiss Me Katy was O’dea’s first Brisbane winner and first Stakes winner after claiming the Listed Sir Douglas Wadley Stakes that year.
“Kiss Me Katy’s had four foals now and I think Katy’s Daughter is the best of them,” O’dea said.
O’dea is chasing his first Magic Millions Classic win with Candika giving him his best result when third in last year’s Magic Millions Classic.
O’dea also has talented filly Singular Sensation confirmed for the Magic Millions Classic.
Katy’s Daughter clocked 50.91 seconds for the 900-metre dash which was later bettered when Sunlight ran 50.42 seconds in her 4-3/4 length demolition over Dram Of Delago.
Sunlight’s Magic Millions price was almost halved immediately after her victory and is now on the third line of betting at $8 behind $3.50 favourite Jonker.
However, trainer Tony McEvoy said Sunlight would follow the successful path of last year’s Magic Millions Classic winner Houtzen by running in an 1100-metre race on January 6, a week before the big feature.
“She’s a smart filly but we needed more money to get into the race and now we’ve got it,” McEvoy said.
Sunlight ran third in her only previous start in the Listed Maribynong Plate at Flemington in October.
McEvoy also will have two Magic Millions Classic runners with Crockett already qualified.
Racing Queensland webnews December 23