It is the time of year where the Magic Millions 2yo Classic contenders emerge, and with the big wet hitting eastern states, a few meetings look in danger on Saturday.
There are very competitive two-year-old races at Rosehill and Caulfield (Listed Merson Cooper Stakes), but we will head to the Gold Coast.
In the opening event over 1100m, there is a full field of Magic Millions aspirants.
Kacy Fogden has set punters a dilemma with three acceptors.
She has the highly regarded Spieth colt Victory Moments who started favourite in the Group III Breeders' Plate at Randwick off the back of some impressive barrier trials. He failed to flatter there but was far from disgraced after a troubled run.
The $320,000 Not A Single doubt filly Floral Oasis was beaten three-quarters of a length by the undefeated Exo Lady (Exosphere) when making her debut at Doomben on October 23. Floral Oasis did not enjoy many favours when fifth at her most recent starts at Doomben.
The one we like is the Extreme Choice debutant Extremaarty.
A $220,000 purchase from the Lyndhurst Stud Farm draft, Extremaarty will sport the aqua, black checked band, colours of Aquis.
Connections would have been deflated by Extremaarty's first barrier trial at Aquis Park, Gold Coast, on October 18.
After missing the start hopelessly, the son of Extreme Choice had his ears ridden off to catch the pack. Once achieved, he was allowed to coast to the line to finish sixth of seven.
It was a different story three weeks later on the same track. After making a clean start, Extremaarty settled outside of Mouette. He was kept up to the mark to defeat Mouette by a half-length.
Mouette then came out to make an impressive winning debut at the Gold Coast last week.
A half-brother to two winners, Extremaarty is the sixth foal of the winning Anabaa (USA) mare Anabarbie, a half-sister to stakes-placed Honourable Aussie.
Anabarbie's dam Beach Barbie (Kenny's Best Pal) failed to win in eight starts, but she could boast of being a sister to the Group II STC Magic Night Stakes winner Mardi's Magic and the influential Surrealist.
Surrealist retired a maiden after five starts; however, she has made up for it at stud.
She is the dam of Group 1 AJC Doncaster H., Group 1 Epsom H., Group 1 George Main Stakes, Group 1 All Aged Stakes, Group 1 STC George Ryder Stakes winner Racing To Win (Encosta de Lago).
Surrealist also left the Group III MRC Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner and useful sire Purrealist (Tale Of The Cat), the stakes-placed Distilled (Masterclass), and the winner Pinocchio who is setting up her own successful branch of the family.
A sister to Racing To Win, Pinocchio is the dam of The Everest hero and $9,385,500 earner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) and the Hong Kong excitement machine Aethero (Sebring).
This is the family descending from the imperious La Troienne through her daughter Black Helen.
A daughter of Black Toney, Black Helen was owned in her latter years by Ogden Phipps.
Her daughter Hula Hula (Polynesian) was foaled when Black Helen was twenty. Hula Hula's daughters Hula Bend and Never Hula, both by Never Bend, left their influence around the globe.
Hula Bend ended up in New Zealand. She found a soul mate in Marceau, leaving the Bart Cummings-trained stars Hula Drum (STC George Ryder Stakes) and Hula Chief (AJC Doncaster Handicap).
Hula Bend's sister, Never Hula, is the dam of Never Babble, whose son Don't Say Halo (USA) was a success in Australia, and his daughters were greatly prized.
Never Hula also produced Never Knock (Stage Door Johnny), the dam of American champion Pleasant Tap, and the 1984 Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin.
Before her export to New Zealand, Hula Bend had a filly by Rheingold (IRE) named Hula Gold (IRE), who also found her way to the antipodes. Her son Sir Midas won the Listed Geelong Derby Trial before finishing second to King's High in the Group 1 VRC Derby.
Hula Gold's daughter Sunset Beach (Kenmare), is the granddam of Anabarbie.
Anabrabie has a yearling filly by Headwater and foaled a filly by Rothesay on November 9.
Yearlings by Extreme Choice will be in hot demand in 2022.
The Newgate Farm resident has ten heading to the Gold Coast and nine catalogued for the Inglis Classic.
