A trio of 4yo Godolphin stalwarts that have won $5million between them tackled Saturday's Listed Magic Millions Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm. It was the expensive purchase Exhilarates that came up trumps.
Under a perfectly timed ride by Kerrin McEvoy, the James Cummings-trained daughter of Snitzel defeated the fast-finishing Casino Prince mare Sweet Deal by three-quarter of a length with a short-neck back to the Star Witness mare Threeood in third.
Godolphin's Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes heroine Lyre clocked in fourth, while dual Listed stakes-winner Athiri was ninth, although just a little over two lengths from the winner.
"It was a beautiful, quiet ride by Kerrin," Cummings said.
"This will be her last preparation before she goes to stud.
"That might just entice us to think about the Winter Stakes or perhaps even the Stradbroke.
"She has been a wonderful mare for our stable. To win a Magic Millions as a 2yo and win a Magic Millions sponsored race as a 4yo is quite amazing.
"She loves coming to Queensland and so do we. She is a pleasure to train and had been sound with a wonderful temperament, a great attitude and when she is ridden like that, she has an excellent turn of foot."
The winner of the Magic Millions 2yo Classic, Exhilarates advances her record to six wins, seven seconds and one third from 22 starts with earnings of $2,371,300.
That is a healthy return on the $600,000 outlaid by Godolphin for Vinery Stud consigned filly when they went shopping for the first time at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Exhilarates is the first-named foal of Samaready, whose six wins from 13 starts included the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and Group 1 MVRC AJ Moir Stakes.
Coolmore's Tom Magnier purchased the daughter of More Than Ready (USA) for $1,800,000 at the 2020 Inglis Chairman's Sale.
She was carrying a brother to Exhilarates, who was born on August 26 last year. She was bred back to Justify last spring but missed.
