Cross of Gold topped the leader board at the 2010 Gold Coast Magic Millions and he began paying back the purchase price on debut at Geelong on Tuesday.

Cross of Gold (3c Redoute’s Choice – They Say by Thirty Six Red) produced a powerful finishing burst to win the Lamby’s Restaurant & Bar Hcp (1000m) by three quarters of a length.  He is part-owned by trainer David Hayes, BC3 manager Bill Vlahos and John Singleton.

“He’s not a 1000 metre horse,” stable foreman Bruno Rouge-Serret said.  “David has got some nice races picked out and he will probably head to the McNeil Stakes in a couple of weeks.”

Cross of Gold cost $925,000 from Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud draft at the Gold Coast.  He is a half brother to Australian Champion 2YO Hasna who was a G1 winner of the 2003 AJC Sires’ Produce and AJC Champagne Stakes.

Winning jockey Steven Arnold said there were better races in store for the colt.  “It was a big effort to win at his first start against older winners.  I had to give him a couple of cracks but he finished off well.”