VINERY sire’s Mossman and More Than Ready both took a bow as the curtain came down on the Magic Millions Raceday on the Gold Coast.

Prolific sire Mossman was responsible for another two state double this afternoon led by the Novacastrian Midnight At Ascot who scored a tough and determined win in the Magic Millions Country Cup (1400m) on the Gold Coast.

The Darren Smith-trained galloper fought off a concerted challenge from the Toowoomba galloper Golden Kid to win by a long head with Racing Heart three-lengths away in third place.
Today’s win was the fifth for Midnight At Ascot who was heavily tried ($7 into $4 fav) to take the feature in the wake of a comprehensive four-legth win at Muswellbrook on January 3.

Midnight At Ascot was purchased by leading syndicator Dean Watt for $55,000 from among the 2008 Baramul Stud draft.

“This is what it’s all about,” Watt beamed from the winner’s enclosure. “Winning on a big day like this – it’s just fantastic.”
“We all dream of winning the two-year-old or three-year-old race – but for these owners this is the Country Cup and to them it’s as good as the Cox Plate or the Golden Slipper.
“Winning is great and racing is all about the owners. The reality of this is the the real heroes in this are the owners.
“The owners live the dream and put their hard earned in each week.
“All credit to Darren Smith who’s taken the horse from a city reject and in 11 starts he’s had five wins. That is what racing is all about.”

Mossman’s other winner came soon after at Rosehill when the ultra-consistent Triple Elegance charged down the outside of the track to score a popular win in the STC Slipper On Sale Handicap (1400m).
The win takes his earnings past $300,000 with the promise of much more to come for the Chris Waller trained gelding.

Meanwhile, Mossman’s associate sire, More Than Ready, provided the last winner on another unforgettable Magic Millions race day when Ready To Rip came from a seemingly hopeless position to claim the Magic Million Plate over 1200m.
It was the gelding’s third win inside only five starts and further re-enforcement of the explosive nature of the More Than Ready/Danehill mare nick.