There are two crucial Magic Millions lead-ups at the Gold Coast on Saturday, the Aquis Stallions Gold Nugget for colts and geldings and the Aquis Stallions Gold Pearl for two-year-old fillies.
Those sweating on the next start for the Justify (USA) filly Just Glamourous following a slashing fourth on debut at Warwick Farm will have a nervous wait as she is the second emergency for the Gold Pearl.
The winner of the race at Warwick Farm, her Waterhouse/Bott-trained stablemate Royal Entrance (Snitzel), is the early favourite for the Gold Nugget.
Just Glamourous was a $900,000 purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
That made her the equal highest-priced Justify (USA) filly of the year. Also on that mark was the Ennis Hill filly Learning To Fly, which also looks like an exciting prospect judging by her close second to the Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Perfect Proposal in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm.
The dam of Just Glamourous, Global Glamour, was rarely far from the headlines.
Bred and offered for sale by Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm, Global Glamour was an inspired $65,000 purchase by James Bester for the It's All About The Girls Syndicate.
The daughter of Star Witness did not make it two the Magic Millions 2yo Classic as she made her first start two weeks after Capitalist claimed the feature at the Gold Coast in 2016.
Global Glamour's debut came in a more modest 1000m maiden run on a heavy track at Kembla Grange. The Tulloch Lodge inmate gave a sign of better things to come with a six-and-a-quarter length romp at her only start at two.
At three, she won the Group 1 ATC Flight Stakes, Group 1 MRC One Thousand Guineas, Group II ATC Light Fingers Stakes, and Group II MRC Tristarc Stakes.
Global Glamour's Magic Millions moment almost came true when collared by the $101 shot Flying Jess in the $2million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas.
A daughter of the talented Testa Rossa mare Spectacula, Global Glamour added some spice to a pedigree that had gone four generations without a stakes-winner.
Four years after going through the ring as a yearling, Global Glamour was back in the same arena at the National Broodmare Sale.
Offered in foal to Zoustar, Global Glamour made $1,550,000 to the bid of Coolmore/Gerry Harvey/James Bester, $600,000 of which was redeemed when the Zoustar colt she was carrying, Scientist, sold for $600,000.
Global Glamour has recently suffered some misfortune, losing an I An Invincible foal at birth and then missing to the champion stallion in 2021. Snitzel covered the $1.5 million earner on September 1.
