Darley sire Shamardal continued his amazing start at stud when Mundi Gully was a brilliant winner of the $100,000 Magic Millions Mackay 2YO Plate (1050m) on Tuesday.
Mundi Gully (2c Shamardal – Jackie by Last Tycoon) will be set for the $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast after cruising to victory in yesterday’s lead-up at Ooralea Racecourse.
Shamardal’s first Australian crop of three year-olds includes G1 Victoria Oaks winner Faint Perfume and G3 Norman Robinson Stakes winner Shamoline Warrior who was pre-post favourite for the G1 Victoria Derby before his withdrawal on the morning of the classic.
Shamardal’s second Australian crop started on a winning note when Run for Wilson was a Listed winner of the NSW Breeders’ Plate at Randwick in October.
In Europe, Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) is running second to fellow Darley sire Dubawi in the first-season winners category. His tally increased to 23 individual winners when the Sheikh Hamdan owned colt Doctor Zhivago scored on debut at Southwell last Saturday, December 5.
Mundi Gully had little favours during the Mackay race – being caught deep for much of the trip – but in a classy performance still proved much too strong for his rivals.
In winning, the star country trained two-year-old gave his owners, Malborough based graziers Ron and Bev White, the best possible present to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
With regular rider Dennis Whitmore in the saddle, Mundi Gully cruised home to beat last start Magic Millions Toowoomba Trophy winner Tough Luck (Zaha) by a length and a half. Local gelding Rocket on By (Shovhog) worked home in the straight to finish third, a further length and three quarters back.
Mundi Gully was sent out the odds on favourite following a near seven length romp at Yeppoon on October 27. At his only other run he beat all but Adebisi at Eagle Farm on debut on October 10.
He was purchased for just $32,500 at January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Rothwell Park. “He will have his next run in a two-year-old handicap in Brisbane on Boxing Day and then go straight into the Magic Millions,” Ron White said after the race.
White said the colt stood out to him at the Gold Coast based sale and he purchased him on type – he backed his own judgment and nabbed his number one pick.