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.