Houtzen Delivers On Magic Promise

Houtzen | Magic Millions

Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) vaulted to favouritism for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic when winning an 1100-metre handicap by 4 1/2 lengths over this track last Saturday, and the filly delivered on that promise to keep her unbeaten record intact with a scintillating score in the A$2-million event a week later. Houtzen, a A$105,000 find from Book 2 of last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by trainer Toby Edmonds, had kicked off her career with a similarly impressive four-length win at Doomben on Christmas Eve. She drifted slightly in the betting after drawing the wide outside barrier 21 on Tuesday, but that proved but a minor inconvenience when she rocketed out of the gate under Jeff Lloyd. Lloyd called on her speed early, hustling her to the front before the bend. Houtzen settled down on the front as she led Shadwell's Madeenaty (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) around the turn, and she appeared full of run at the top of the lane. Stealing away slightly as Madeenaty began to falter, Houtzen always appeared in total command. Chauffeur (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), Jadeskye Racing and partners' A$1.6-million 2016 sale topper, came grinding down the outside and made a good account of himself while shortening the margin to a half-length.

Saturday, Gold Coast, Australia
JEEP MAGIC MILLIONS 2YO CLASSIC-Listed Restricted, A$1,940,000, 1-14, GCTC, 1200mT, 1:07.95, gd.
1–#HOUTZEN (AUS), 121, f, 2, by I Am Invincible (Aus)
1st Dam: Set To Unleash (Aus), by Reset (Aus)
2nd Dam: Leash (Aus), by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
3rd Dam: Elfenjer (Aus), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
(A$52,000 RNA wnl '15 INGMAY; A$105,000 yrl '16 MMGCYS)
O-Miss J Edmonds, R J Casey, A K Warren, S J Shirley, P J
Lederhose, S I Hargreaves, N A Warren, Ms X Huang, P J
Mullen, G M Lawrence, C M Casey, Ms D J Rochfort & P J
Peters G1G Racing & Breeding (Mgr: Mrs T L Vogel) & Just Fun
Racing (Mgr: D C Halpin); B-Mr. N Leckie; T-Toby Edmonds;
J-Jeff Lloyd; A$1,200,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
A$1,280,400.
2–Chauffeur (Aus), 125, c, 2, Snitzel (Aus)–Mirror Mirror (Aus),
by Dehere. (A$1,600,000 yrl '16 MMGCYS) O-Werrett
Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: N R J Werrett), B K Racing & Breeding
Pty Ltd (Mgr: B J Hunt), Nick Vass Bloodstock (Mgr: N Vass),
Strawberry Hill Stud (Mgr: J D Singleton) & Jadeskye (Mgr: D W
Flower); B-Strawberry Hill Stud; T-Gerald Ryan; A$370,000.
3–Madeenaty (Aus), 121, f, 2, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Set For
Fame (Aus), by Reset (Aus). (A$775,000 yrl '16 MMGCYS) O-
Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd (Mgr: G M Kelly); B-Segenhoe
Thoroughbreds Australia Pty Ltd; T-David and B Hayes and T
Dabernig; A$180,000.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 4.00, 21.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Goodfella (Aus), Invader (Aus), Invincible Star (Aus), Champ Elect (Aus), Real Princess (Aus), Ours To Keep (Aus), Bring It Home Pop (Aus), Madame Moustache (Aus), Arrestar (Aus), From Within (Aus), Falconic (Aus), Saxton Rock (Aus), Cellargirl (Aus).

Jockey Jeff Lloyd, who was riding in his first Magic Millions, said, “She did it all and she did it tough. She never really came back to me and I had concerns throughout the whole race that she might have got across too quick and be doing too much. She'd had enough in the last 50 metres but she was entitled to.”

Edmonds, who picked Houtzen out at auction and trains her for a group of local owners, said, “She was the best filly today, Jeff was really aggressive and she ran through the bridle a little bit and got a little tired but it was such a great effort. We talked about riding her differently but we thought that if we took her out of her regular pattern it might not work so we'd just let her roll and see what happens.”

He added, “The Magic Millions for us is everything because it's our home town carnival and all of the guys in this horse are Gold Coasters except for a couple of outsiders.”

There were four runners in the field eligible for the Racing Women's bonus, which splits A$500,000 between the first four all female-owned runners across the line in the 2YO Classic. Taking the top bonus prize of A$325,000 was eighth-placed Real Princess (Aus) (Real Saga {Aus}), followed by 14th Falconic (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) (earned A$100,000), 15th Saxton Rock (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) (A$50,000) and 16th Cellargirl (Aus) (More Than Ready) (A$25,000).

 

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