Purchased online for a mere $2,500 after breaking her maiden at Kembla, the Turffontein mare Aureus Angel has been a regular fixture in stakes races in Queensland this season and was rewarded at Doomben on Saturday when capturing the Magic Millions Bright Shadow Stakes (1100m).
Ridden by Damien Thornton for Chris Munce, Aureus Angel came with a barnstorming finish to defeat Bezique by a long head, with Xtravagant Star one and a quarter lengths back in third.
With her stakes breakthrough, the 6-year-old daughter of Turffontein advances her record to five wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 13 starts with earnings of $278,880.
“She is a really nice mare. I only gave her the one run in the summer - she just didn’t handle the heat,” Chris Munce revealed.
“So we just hit the reset button, put her back out, and we’ll just concentrate on the winter with her where we know she races well.
“Winning this today probably makes us think about what we’re going next. I had just planned to go to the fillies and mares races, but she ran well in the Dane Ripper last year, so I might look at the Stradbroke. Not sure yet.
“She’s done nothing wrong. On Tuesday morning, she galloped here and the track was wet.
“Damian got off and said ‘she’s ready’ so I was confident when he said that.
“Everything has gone well. The world is her oyster, and she has come back in tip-top order and pulled up well here but the looks of it. There’s plenty of options.”
Damien Thornton said Aureus Angel is top-class at her best.
“Things didn’t work last prep, and Chris made the choice to put her out and regroup.
“She worked pretty well here on Tuesday morning, which is as good as she has been all prep.
“She just kept improving with everything she did this prep. She was really good today. At her best, she has a ripping turn of foot. We thought she was a chance in the Tiara last year but she didnt’ get a run, hopefully she’ll get a run this year.
“I didn’t travel that well. I was half there under sufferance from the 1000 (metre mark). I had only just travelled, but once I really asked on straightening she let rip.”
A $2,5000 purchase for Baddock Bloodstock when offered at the 2022 Inglis September (Late) Online Sale, Aureus Angel is the best of four winners from as many to race for the Sebring mare Miss Marriott, a sister to stakes-placed Super Five from the family of Group 1 winners Barathea and Gossamer.
Miss Marriott died in 2022.
Aureus Angel is the ninth stakes-winner for Turffontein, who covered eleven mares last spring.
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