Skirt The Law dominates Magic Millions 2YO Classic in breakthrough day for Better Than Ready

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Fillies come to the fore in $2 million feature after Alpine Edge kicks off big-race double for Lyndhurst Stud stallion

It was all about the girls in yesterday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) as the unbeaten Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) produced a thoroughly dominant performance to lead home a front five filled by fillies.

The victory capped what was yet another breakthrough day for Jeff Kruger’s Lyndhurst Stud Farm and Better Than Ready (More Than Ready) following last week’s yearling sale triumph, where Lot 345 became the sire’s highest-priced yearling ever to be sold at sale at $530,000.

Having shown bundles of potential in a debut success over 1050 metres at Doomben on November 12, Skirt The Law then followed up in the easiest of fashions over 1200 metres at the same track the following month, beating maiden winner Torque I Tee (Shalaa) by five and a quarter lengths.

Ridden by Ryan Maloney, who had been aboard for both those previous starts, in yesterday’s $2 million event, the Tony Gollan-trained filly was sent off a $7 shot and was angled out to the middle of the track for a run rounding the home straight, picking up stylishly to come home a comfortable length and a half in front of Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar), with a further length back to Summer Loving (Exceed And Excel) in third.

Infatuation (I Am Invincible), beaten just over two and a half lengths, and Fire Lane (Hellbent), beaten two and three-quarter lengths, finished fourth and fifth respectively, completing the fillies-dominated finish, with Skirt The Law securing connections an extra $350,000 for the ladies’ bonus in addition to the $1.16 million winner’s cheque.

“She’s a beauty – John Foote and the team bought her at the sales. I know we all say when we buy them that we’re going to get back here next year, but we identified her as being early, and all she’s done is improve,” Gollan said.

“I had to trust her today, and she didn’t let me down. I’m very fortunate to have a good team that buys good horses. To train a filly like her is awfully exciting.

“There is a very excited bunch of ladies [involved]. It has been an amazing journey. The ladies group chats started lighting up after her first win, and then we dreamed about being here on this day. And all the talk was about the ladies’ bonus.

“I really wanted to win this race, one of the best in Queensland, and now we’ve won it, it means so much.”

Maloney revealed he was confident of a bold showing before the off and felt the race was over when he called upon a full effort from the filly.

“From the barrier draw [two] and her trackwork, I was that confident. It went to script, and it was perfect for us in the run,” the winning rider said.

“She’s that versatile, and she gives everything she’s got, and once the gap was there, it was basically all over.”

Bred and offered for sale by Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Skirt The Law (2 f ex Outlaw Kate by Exceed And Excel) was a $170,000 purchase for Gollan Racing, John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and Black Soil Bloodstock at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She is the first foal to race out of the stakes-placed Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Outlaw Kate, bought by Kruger for $30,000 out of Segenhoe Stud at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale.

That purchase soon proved to be a shrewd one with the mare’s half-brother, Masked Crusader (Toronado), subsequently winning the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and finishing runner-up in both the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and The Everest (1200m).

Outlaw Kate, who foaled a Nicconi (Bianconi) colt on October 5, is a daughter of She’s Got Gears (Invincible Spirit) who beat subsequent Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) heroine Crystal Lily (Stratum) in the Ottawa Stakes (Listed, 1000m) in 2009 before then going on to place in both the Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) and Blue Diamond Prelude (f) (Gr 3, 1100m), despite failing to win again.

Skirt The Law’s feature success moves Better Than Ready into first place on the two-year-old sires earnings table, with the 2018-19 season’s Champion Australian First Season Sire by winners’ progeny now having amassed $1,579,150 in prize-money this season.

The stallion had eight yearlings offered in Book 1 of last week’s Magic Millions sale, averaging close to $200,000. He stands for a fee of $24,200 (inc GST).

Alpine Edge rectifies 2YO Classic defeat with emphatic triumph

Better Than Ready was provided with an early boost in the first race on yesterday’s Magic Millions Day card at the Gold Coast when his four-year-old son Alpine Edge produced a special moment in the Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open Quality (1300m).

A winner of the Phelan Ready Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and BJ McLachlan Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) on his first two outings, the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained entire was then denied victory in the 2021 Magic Millions 2YO Classic, finishing runner-up behind Group 3 winner Shaquero (Shalaa).

Heading into yesterday’s contest on the back of a runner-up eff behind Yellow Brick (The Mission), who ran to be second in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1425m) later on the card, in the $750,000 King Of The Mountain (1200m) at Toowoomba on New Year’s Eve, Alpine Edge had not scored since securing a two-year-old race at Eagle Farm in July 2021.

Jumping from the inside barrier under James McDonald, he was patiently ridden entering the home straight and found plenty when let down, being driven through a gap by the champion jockey before running on strongly to beat Spirit Of Boom’s (Sequalo) Ef Troop by two lengths, with a further three-quarters of a length back to Dr Why Not (Love Conquers All) in third.

“That was a huge relief. He was second a couple of years ago in the two-year-old race, and wow, what a good result,” Trent Edmonds said.

“The poor bugger’s race record should be better than it is. We’ve gone to the well with him in the Caulfield Guineas, Doomben 10,000, but we got the cash today. How good. What a great ride.

“I told all of the guys in him that we can keep coming back every year, and this is his race, the QTIS race.

“It’s huge prize-money, and we just set him for a couple of races a year, and if he stays sound and stays competitive for the next couple of years, why not? I’m just elated for this horse.”

Purchased by his trainers in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Lucky Clover for $160,000 out of the Yarramalong Park draft from Book 2 of the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the most expensive yearling by his sire sold at a public auction that year, Alpine Edge’s (4 c ex Freezethemillions by Freeze) record now stands at four wins and three seconds from 16 starts with earnings of $1,452,125.

He is the best of three winners from four to race out of the stakes-placed Freeze (Marscay) mare Freezethemillions, herself from the family of champion racehorse and sire Zeditave (The Judge).

Freezethemillions has a yearling filly and colt foal by Better Than Ready and was covered by the stallion again last spring.