Michael Kent Jnr trains the gallant Not A Single Doubt filly with Mick Price, purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds for $260,000.
Euphoric Summer is raced by the Phoenix Ladies and they will be in line to bank a Racing Women’s Bonus of $500,000 on offer to the first four all female-owned or leased fillies home in January’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
“It’s great for Phoenix and the ladies’ syndicate and they will be there from Dubai in January.” Kent said.
Euphoric Summer
Euphoric Summer had finished runner-up in the Listed Debutant S. at Caulfield and she wasn’t to be denied going one better at Ballarat.
She wasn’t the quickest away, but then sprinted quickly to sit outside of the leader and gave everything in the run home to hold out the favourite Rathlin (Fastnet Rock).
Amish Boy (Star Witness) and Soul Obsession (I Am Invincible) were next home with lengths back to the rest of the field.
“She showed a lot of guts and determination. Hats off to the filly, she was super tough and Rathlin was breathing down her neck and she kept sticking her nose out,” Kent said.
“She’s a lovely 2-year-old type and Mum was a Group 1 winner so I think Phoenix bought this filly very well. She’s a natural.
“She’s a lovely 2-year-old type and Mum was a Group 1 winner so I think Phoenix bought this filly very well. She’s a natural.” – Michael Kent
“Now we’ve got the luxury of taking our time ahead of the Magic Millions. We can give her a little break and get up there three or four weeks before the race and acclimatise to the weather.
“We may then give her one run before the Magic Millions.”
Aside from the obvious, Kent said Euphoric Summer’s demeanour and temperament were two of her major assets.
“Obviously, she’s got talent and importantly she’s got the right brain. Nothing gets in her way, she walked around here beautifully and cantered to the start well.
Michael Kent
“She’s got the right attitude and is unflappable, she’s handled the occasion very well.”
Euphoric Summer was ridden by Ben Melham and he was naturally taken by the filly’s performance.
“I think she showed the benefit of a race start and trialling here helped,” he said. “She’s a lovely type and her professionalism took her a long way.
“She’s a lovely type and her professionalism took her a long way.” – Ben Melham
“She was a little bit tardy out and then I was able to muster speed and in a position to dictate the race. She had to dig deep and had done a bit of work so I was mindful of that, but her fitness wasn’t an issue.
“She knuckled down late and thankfully we got the bob in, it was a good effort.”
Bred and sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Cressfield Thoroughbreds, Euphoric Summer is a daughter of the G1 Stradbroke H. winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force), who also claimed the G3 Bletchingly S. and the G3 Cockram S.
Ben Melham
There’s also a strong international flavour to the pedigree through the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Black Satin (GB) (Linacre {Ire}), her son Czaravich (USA) (Nijinsky {Can}), who won the G1 Belmont Metropolitan H. and Long Row (GB).
He was the Group 2 winner of the G2 Newbury Horris Hill S. and enjoyed success at stud in New Zealand and sired the Australian Group 1 winners Getting Closer (NZ), Eye Of The Sky (NZ) and Row Of Waves (NZ).
