Mogumber Park swept a feature race double at Pinjarra on Saturday with Do I Feel Lucky in the RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) and Smooth Chino in the RL Magic Millions 3YO Trophy (1200m).
Do I Feel Lucky was a $100,000 graduate out of Mogumber Park’s 2024 consignment while Smooth Chino was knocked down for $40,000 at the 2023 Swan Valley Sale. The Bullsbrook nursery emulated Alwyn Park who were vendors of Big Shots (2YO Classic) and Bondi Bubbles (3YO Trophy) last year.
It was a win-win for Mogumber Park’s Colin Brown and Fiona Lacey who also bred the MM 2YO Classic winner and have his Rommel half-sister (Lot 84) among 19 lots being presented for the Magic Millions Yearling Sale this Thursday and Friday.
Do I Feel Lucky (2g Dirty Work – Mindarie by Safeguard) diffused a wide barrier to lead for Chris Parnham and looked all over a winner at the furlong until Perfectly Proper (Pierata) emerged from the pack to issue a late challenge.
She just failed to peg back a three-length margin in a nail-biting finish that had Parnham in two minds whether he would be celebrating or commiserating with connections. “I thought he had just held on although I didn’t want to mock myself. Clint (Johnston-Porter) said ‘well done mate’ as we were pulling up but I was still happy to see our number in the frame.
“I’ve won three Magic Millions Classics in a row and been lucky enough to get on some pretty handy juveniles.”
Do I Feel Lucky (Photo / Western Racepix) is trained by Sean and Jake Casey for owner Maureen Daly. “He hasn’t put a foot wrong and we came here quite confident,” Jake Casey said. “He paddled late but was good enough to hang on. We will freshen him up and the plan is to come back for the Perth Stakes and Karrakatta.”
The LR Perth Stakes (1100m) is scheduled for April 12 and the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) for April 26. The Magic Millions Classic has been a reliable guide to the Karrakatta with Super Smink, Ex Sport Man, Valour Road, Lucy Mae and Lucky Street all completing the double in the last decade.
Do I Feel Lucky’s pedigree was profiled here last week.
Smooth Chino (3g Maschino – Amorei by Gingerbread Man) completed an unbeaten hat-trick to hand trainer Indianna Weinert and rider Austin Galati their first black-type victories in the RL Magic Millions 3YO Trophy.
Coming off wins at Mt Barker and Bunbury, he settled at the back of a capacity field before reeling in front-runner London’s Image (Headwater) to score by a long neck. “We had two flat tyres on the way here and only arrived a half-hour ago,” Weinert revealed. “He’s always shown ability but he’s raw and I didn’t think he would get this far in his first prep.
“He’s big and strong and I picked him at the Magic Millions Sale purely on type. He’s had some setbacks but is proving to be a very smart horse for the future.”
Brendan Wilken bred Smooth Chino in partnership and kept a share with Weinert and Minnie Hall after Mogumber Park (as agent) sold him for $40,000. His dam Amorei is an unraced daughter of G3 WA Oaks (2400m) winner Moreish (More Than Ready) and she foaled a Bondi (Snitzel) filly in October
Smooth Chino is the 8th Stakes-winner for Maschino (Encosta de Lago) and the Alwyn Park resident was completing a double following Chino La Diva in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1300m) earlier in the day at Pinjarra.
