Vinery Stud’s graduates from the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale generated an aggregate of $4.72million during Book 1 and they found new homes with buyers targeting another Too Darn Lizzie (2023 Magic Millions) and Derry Grove (2020 Magic Millions)

Last Saturday’s Magic Millions Raceday was a triumph for Vinery with Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot) making all in the $500,000 MM The Debut 2yo Fillies (1000m) and Derry Grove (Star Turn) arriving in the last-stride of the $1million MM The Syndicate (1100m).

Back to the day-to-day grind on Monday, another Vinery graduate named Zippo Idea won with a finishing run that lasted the best part of 800m in the TAB Hcp (1450m) at Muswellbrook.  The 3yo filly looked city-class being fine-tuned against older horses on the provincial circuit.

“It was a gutsy win,” trainer Rod Northam said.  “We will give her a week in the paddock and then send her out or get her ready for a Highway.”

Zippo Idea had won a Muswellbrook maiden from the back-half of the field on January 4 and went out odds-on to claim a Class 1 over an extra furlong.  She had to do it hard way when a shifting saddle saw Power To Deceive tearaway by a dozen lengths at the half-mile.

Reece Jones sooled her forward with the leaders in view only to see Ash Morgan kick Arrowfield mare My Riviera (Real Impact) three lengths clear at the furlong.  Asked for another effort, she somehow kept responding to win by a nose right on the line.

“She threw a shoe in running and was a bit ginger but otherwise pulled up well,” Northam reported.  “She races for a big syndicate managed by Harry Brooks and they’re very happy with the way things are working out.

“We bought her from Vinery for $80,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic.  She was good value and being so well-bred makes that price look even better down the track.”

Zippo Idea was bred by Vinery partner Steve McCann (Encompass International) using More Than Ready (USA) over Bewildering (Husson) in his final southern-hemisphere book.  Her three-quarter sister Kooweerup won a SAJC Breeder’s Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) and her second-dam Allez Wonder a Toorak Hcp (Gr.1, 1600m).

Her next assignment is still up in the air but a hat-trick could be on the cards in a $120,000 TAB Highway Plate (1500m) at Rosehill on February 3.

Mapperley Stud has a Russian Camelot (Ire) half-sister to Zippo Idea catalogued as Lot 608 for the NZB National Yearling Sale at Karaka on Tuesday, January 30.  Vinery has 39 yearlings, including 7 by Ole Kirk, entered for this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables on February 11, 12 and 13.