Vinery Stud’s strike-rate from the Gold Coast Magic Millions received another update in South Africa this week when Pluck youngster Moon Shadow won his maiden at Greyville.

Moon Shadow is a younger half-brother to Monsieur Gustave (Al Maher) who won the George Moore Stakes-Gr.3 at Doomben last Saturday.

They were both sold by Vinery for a combined total of $59,000 on the Gold Coast and Monsieur Gustave has banked over $536,000 with the promise of another monster pay-day in the $1 million Magic Millions Cup on January 13.

Moon Shadow will also pay his way for local trainer Paul Lafferty on the strength of a determined victory in Durban on Wednesday.  “He battled back gamely to win and is was a fine ride by Sandile Mbhele,” Lafferty said.  “Congratulations to his owners Lizette Loudon, Brian Riley, Eric Jugdeo, Glen Jonas & Phil Georgiou.”

The half-brothers are from Saigon Moonlight (Stravinsky) who is a sister to the dam of Australian Horse of the Year Lankan Rupee.

Pluck’s Victorian sprinter Flash Cash is also being considered for an assignment on the Gold Coast in the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m).  “He’s got a fair bit to do but you never can tell,” trainer Matt Laurie said.  “He performed below-par on a Heavy 8 at Sandown last week and there’s a query whether we can attribute that run to the surface.”

Apprentice Ben Thompson did telling stewards Flash Cash would be better suited on a firmer track.  He beat subsequent winner Boom Chicka Boom (All Too Hard) on a Good 4 at Bendigo last month after a stirring duel down the length of the straight.

Flash Cash is another Gold Coast graduate having made $45,000 to Laurie and syndicate manager Sash Petrevski in 2016.  Pluck (USA), a Vinery-based son of More Than Ready, sired him from Li’l Cashy (Keltrice) who won 8 races in Adelaide and Melbourne.

Vinery has 23 yearlings catalogued for the Gold Coast Magic Millions commencing on January 10.  The Pluck colt from Nufoos (Elusive Quality) has a South African connection through his older half-sister Estidraaj, a Mike De Kock-trained runner-up in the Greyville Golden Bracelet-Gr.2.