Scenic Lodge graduate Elite Missile completed a winning week for the Muchea nursery in the Amelia Park Plate (1400m) at Belmont on Saturday.
Elite Missile was racing first-up since flying home for a close sixth in the RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in February and he ran right through the line at the end of 1400m. “He had a couple of trials leading into today and we had also put a fair of work into him,” trainer Stephen Miller revealed.
“He looks a miler and will have another run before we tip him out for next season. There’s a heck of a lot of improvement in him. He’s not there mentally yet but that will come with more education.”
Scenic Lodge sold Elite Missile (Photo / Western Racepix) on behalf of NSW-based Pepper Tree Farm for $110,000 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions and there’s already over $80,000 in the kitty for a syndicate that includes Miller, Dave and Mitch Mcllheney, Ken Jolly and Arthur Barrett.
Pepper Tree is operated by former Scenic Lodge manager Damian Kirwan. He bred Elite Missile using Twin Hills Stud sire Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) over Frenchs Forest (French Deputy) who has now foaled seven winners. She was pensioned in November after foaling a colt from the last crop of Scenic Lodge sire Snippetson.
“He felt a little flat in his trial at Lark Hill but SJ said not to worry,” jockey Brad Parnham recalled. “SJ reckoned the horse was right and full credit to him. It’s not easy for a two-year-old to win first up over 1400 metres.”
Scenic Lodge and its sires had doubled up with short-priced favourites Classic Ruler (Universal Ruler) and Magic Cash (Dash For Cash) at Bunbury last Wednesday.
Classic Ruler is prepared by Chris Stelmach and her husband Jerry has been breeding from the family since fourth dam Morning Watch (Jevington) foaled LR Crawford Stakes (1200m) winner Beautiful Bon Bon (Ron Bon).
Magic Cash went back-to-back for trainer Takahide Ikenushi and Scenic Lodge founder David Smith. The grey filly’s second-dam Ebony Magic (Bletchley Park) won a LR Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) at Ascot in 2000 as did her older sister Most Secret in 1996.
