First Light’s Abounding outsmarts Magic Millions Guineas field
First Light Racing filly Abounding (Rich Enuff) produced her Woodside Park sire’s biggest payday with a popular local victory in yesterday’s drama-charged $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) at the Gold Coast.
Ridden superbly by comeback jockey Martin Harley, Abounding settled midfield one off the fence from gate six of 16, before pushing her distinctive white face into the clear in seventh place on straightening, and worked doggedly down the running to collar China Horse Club’s gallant Sovereign Fund (Capitalist) in the last 40 metres.
The head win for the Robert Heathcote-trained filly brought a first prize of $1,709,000, providing a timely boost for Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon), who is the sire of six stakes-winners headed by dual Group 3 victor Dosh.
Rich Enuff, the highest-rated son of Written Tycoon at stud, served 81 mares at $11,000 (inc GST) last season, up from 73 in 2022, in his fourth year at Woodside after transferring from Queensland’s Glenlogan Park under the aim of injecting more speed to the stallion Victorian ranks.
But Abounding’s win came after much drama and lengthy delay, with the field recalled to their day stalls and the race eventually run 80 minutes late.
John O’Shea’s Sydney Bowler (Deep Field), unbeaten in three starts, went to the gates as a strongly-supported favourite but became agitated in the stalls and flipped over, becoming tightly stuck under the apparatus.
Grave fears were held for the gelding as the other runners were recalled, but he was eventually freed and taken to a nearby equine hospital. Though he suffered lacerations, his recovery prognosis was reportedly positive.
“He had a blindfold on and he lunged forward at the gates and got his front leg caught in between the front gates,” Sydney Bowler’s rider Jason Collett said. “He panicked in the situation and got himself cast.”
When the race finally began, Harley unfurled a textbook ride to claim an emotional victory – 12 months after breaking his neck in a fall four days before he was meant to ride at last year’s Magic Millions raceday.
“Thank God there was someone up there looking out for me today,” Harley said.
“It is nice to get a bit of redemption.
“With the delay, everyone had to cope with it, not just me. Abounding kept herself together and saved all her energy for the race.”
Bred by Queensland’s Telemon Thoroughbreds, Abounding cost just $75,000 when sold from the stud’s draft to First Light and Heathcote from Book 2 at the Magic Millions sale of 2022.
The chestnut, who at her previous start became Rich Enuff’s sixth stakes-winner in Eagle Farm’s Gold Edition Plate (Listed, 1200m), was a $7 equal second-favourite yesterday in her fourth win from 11 starts, with the lucrative windfall shooting her prize–money past $2.1 million.
Abounding is the fifth named foal of city-winning stakes-placed mare Transonic (Casino Prince), who has a Russian Camelot (Camelot) yearling colt who was withdrawn from the current Magic Millions sale. She also has his foal by the Widden Stud-based stallion at foot and was covered by Capitalist (Written Tycoon) in November.
Team Snowden’s Sovereign Fund ($31), who won his first two starts at two before running last as second-favourite in last year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), was brave in defeat whilst regaining form yesterday, after surging along the fence in the straight.
Gary Portelli’s Flying Trapeze (Trapeze Artist) ran impressively for a half-length third despite being forced some ten horses wide on the home turn. Aside from $270,000 prize-money, the gelding earned connections a $180,000 Racing Women’s bonus for being the first of the two all-female owned runners home.
Chris Waller’s Dream Thoroughbreds’ gelding Chrysaor (Better Than Ready) disappointed in 13th as $4.40 favourite.