Ole Kirk's promising start continues as O'Ole wins Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic

Cover Image courtesy of Magic Millions

O’Ole wins the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic

With a long list of impressive graduates, like Farnan, Jonker, and Capitalist, all eyes were on Wyong on Wednesday for the 2024 edition of the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic. It was the Bjorn Baker-trained filly O’Ole (Ole Kirk) who led and won. Ridden by Jason Collett, she won by 0.42l from Peter Snowden trained filly Memo (Capitalist), ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who rocketed into Magic Millions 2YO Classic favouritism with the second placed effort. O’Ole’s stablemate filly Horseshoe Hill (All Too Hard) ran third for jockey Rachel King.

“Unencumbered won on this day 11 years ago and I thought this was a really good effort from O'Ole. She had to sit outside the leader and they went quick. I thought Jason (Collett) rode her very, very well and hopefully he can stick with her for the Magic Millions,” Baker said.

O’Ole becomes the second stakes winner for first-season sire Ole Kirk, whose first stakes winner was the ill-fated King Kirk, who won the G3 Breeders’ Plate on debut before dying in a stable accident.

Ole Kirk won the Listed Talindert S. on debut as an autumn 2-year-old before going to win the G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas as a spring 3-year-old, so these two early runners are an added bonus for the Vinery Stud stallion.

O’Ole ran second on debut to Bel Merci (Extreme Choice) in the G3 Gimcrack S. before finishing mid-field in the Golden Gift leading in to this win. Sold by Gilgai Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $325,000, she was purchased by Bjorn Baker and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA). She took her earnings to over $170,000 but added valuable precocious black type to her record.

The fourth foal, and third winner, for winning mare Vellor (Sepoy), who is a half-sister to G2 Magic Night S. winner Altar (Commands). Altar placed in the G1 Goodwood S. as an older horse. Vellor and Altar are out of G2 Surround S. winner Hosannah (Octagonal) who won six races, four of them at Group level and placed in the G1 Arrowfield Stud S. and G1 Flight S. and was fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper.

Vellor has a yearling full sister to O’Ole, who is yet to appear in a sales catalogue.

Gallery: Image courtesy of Magic Millions

Memo had everyone talking and she shot to Magic Millions favouritism after running second. A $350,000 purchase by her trainer from Newgate Farm, she ran third to Bel Merci and O'Ole in the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut, and this was her second start.

By G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, she is the second foal of G3 Tibbie S.-placed Notation (Fastnet Rock).

Guineas for Bauhinia after Wyong win

Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained 3-year-old filly Bauhinia (Hellbent) will head to the Gold Coast after an amazing last-to-first victory in the Magic Millions Wyong 3YO & 4YO S. in track record time on Wednesday. She was 4l out of the back of the field early, then exploded down the outside of the field for jockey Tommy Berry to win by 0.36l from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained 4-year-old gelding The Novelist (Written By) ridden by Billy Loughnane. In third was Michael Freedman trained 4-year-old mare Queen Of The Mile (Written Tycoon), ridden by Zac Lloyd.

“I thought we had no hope. I thought if we got home and got past a few that would be good, and run third, but she just picked them up so quick,” Curtis said. Bauhinia has shortened into second favourite for the Magic Millions Guineas with the win taking her record to two wins from four starts with earnings over $118,000.

Her track record for the 1200 metres is 1:07.67.

A daughter of Yarraman Park Stud's resident sire Hellbent, she was sold by them at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $300,000, and was purchased by Mystery Downs. She is the first foal of Like A Butterfly (Blackfriars) who won the Listed Ascot One Thousand Guineas and was second in the G2 WA Derby. This is the family of recent Listed Twilight Glow S. winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar) and her G1 Canterbury S. winning full sister Mizzy.

Like A Butterfly doesn’t have a 2-year-old or a yearling, having missed those years, and produced a colt by Brave Smash (Jpn) in 2024.