Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
A $280,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds from the draft of Yarraman Park at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Hell To Pay got a deserving victory in the lucrative Magic Millions maiden after placing behind some of the most promising 3-year-olds in the country, sending the trainers, owners and breeder into wild celebrations. However, for some connections it was technically their second win.
A TAB competition in 2023 saw a small four-man punters club headed by Brisbane bakery owner Jack Gardiner win a $50,000 share in Lot 437, a colt by Hellbent out of Sugar Hill (Hinchinbrook) who was to be trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton. Fast forward two years and the now gelding has had five career starts for four thirds as well as Saturday’s break out win, earning over $170,000 in prizemoney.
“The TAB ran a competition in January 2023 and in 25 words or less you had to say why your punters club was the best,” Gardiner said.
“One of the boys in the punt club sent me the link to the competition and we filled it out, sent it off and won.
“I resigned as a lawyer after 14 years at the end of 2022 and then I started a bakery business. The competition entry was bakery inspired because I was just about to launch my business which is down at Regents Park in Southwest Brisbane.
Jack Gardiner's TAB competition entry | Image supplied
“I actually tried to call Hell To Pay, Hot Bread but no one thought that was cool.”
“The prize was $50,000 towards a share in a racehorse which was to be organised through Champion Thoroughbreds. Me and the punters club went to the sales and they (Champion Thoroughbreds) bought three yearlings. When Hell To Pay was purchased we picked that one for the prize. We have about 18 per cent and TAB have covered all costs for the first three years from the date of purchase.
“The prize was $50,000 towards a share in a racehorse which was to be organised through Champion Thoroughbreds. We have about 18 per cent and TAB have covered all costs for the first three years from the date of purchase.” - Jack Gardiner
“It’s a free spin so we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It has been an awesome prize and very generous of TAB but also a great experience for me and my three mates. We are all avid racegoers, and it was great to be there on Saturday to see Hell To Pay get the monkey off the back.”
A Magic experience
According to Gardiner, one of the best parts of the prize was getting to experience the excitement and theatre of the Magic Millions Sales first hand.
“It was our first time going to Magic Millions when we won the prize,” Gardiner said.
“We were already going anyway; coincidently we had booked a punters club trip to be there for the Saturday races but part of the prize was obviously to go to the sales which wasn’t on our radar, so we spent five days at the sales.
“It’s jaw dropping amounts of money at the Magic Millions sales. Not ever having been a part of the sales or having any involvement in it, it was such a good experience to walk around with people who knew what they were doing.
“We had a few choices at the sales but the director of Yarraman, Harry Mitchell put his hand up after the Hellbent Lot sold to buy back in. So, we thought if it is good enough for him, it is good enough for us. As soon as we knew he was buying back in we knew that was the horse for us.”
“We had a few choices, but when Yarraman’s Harry Mitchell bought back in after the Hellbent lot sold, we thought if it (Hell To Pay) is good enough for him, it is good enough for us.” - Jack Gardiner
A partnership for the future
Gardiner says, it won’t be the last horse they race with Champion Thoroughbreds.
“As a group we might look at buying another horse in the future - this prizemoney might go a long way,” he said.
Hell To Pay | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’ve really enjoyed the communication from Champion Thoroughbreds and developed strong relationships with them over the last two years. We all really enjoy John O’Shea’s straight forwardness. He calls a spade a spade. It’s easy to put your trust in people like that.
“When we fly down for a race he takes us into the fold, under his wing and takes us into the inner sanctum. I bet talking to people who have won a prize isn’t at the top of his priorities. I’m sure he has got bigger clients that are actually putting some serious money towards his venture, but he doesn’t treat us any differently.”
A timely update
Hell To Pay is the first foal and first winner for Sugar Hill, an unraced three-quarter sister to stakes winner Harlem River (Fastnet Rock), the dam of this season’s Group 1-placed filly Harlem Queen (Brutal {NZ}) and stakes-placed Lady Harlem (Sebring) from the family of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes and dual Group 1 winner In Her Time (Time Thief).
After placings behind the highly promising Codetta (Nicconi), Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}) and Tuileries (So You Think {NZ}) who look bound for stakes grade, Hell To Pay’s victory provided a timely pedigree update for breeder Yarraman Park at the upcoming Magic Millions sale.
They will offer the full brother to Hell To Pay as Lot 1001 after selling another full brother for $200,000 to Nathan Doyle Racing and Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) at the Gold Coast last year.
Lot 1001 - Hellbent x Sugar Hill (colt) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’re absolutely delighted to get the result with Hell To Pay on Saturday after having run is some very strong races,” Harry Mitchell said.
“He looks a very nice horse, and he didn’t get any favours in the run. He was three deep but like all the Hellbents, he’s a pretty genuine horse.
“John (O’Shea) has aspirations for him to go to a lot better grade than that. It’s very pleasing. Obviously, when you have a stallion, you want to see them get good results and that’s exactly what he’s (Hellbent) giving us.
“We’re also thrilled to have bred him obviously, and to have his full brother for sale. He’s very good, very similar but probably a slightly better horse to be truthful.”
“We’re thrilled to have bred him (Hell To Pay) obviously, and to have his full brother (Lot 1001) for sale. He’s very good, very similar but probably a slightly better horse to be truthful.” - Harry Mitchell
Sugar Hill had a filly by I Am Invincible this season.
Yarraman’s son of I Am Invincible, Hellbent has 18 yearlings on offer at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, which commences on Tuesday, January 7.
