Manicure Adds to Godolphin's Magic Million Assault

Mark Smith - Saturday Dec 29

After Tally earned a wildcard for Godolphin into the Magic Millions Trophy when he won the Shoot Out Quality earlier in the day at Doomben, Manicure doubled up for the racing and breeding powerhouse when she won the Listed Nudgee Stakes.

Ridden by Larry Cassidy, the 4yo daughter of Exceed And Excel defeated her better-fancied stablemate Demerara(Commands) by one and a half lengths with Warranty (All Too Hard) a half-length back in third. (photo Racing Queensland ).

Advertisement


The lightly raced 4yo mare was making her first start since finishing third in the Group III James Carr Stakes at Randwick on April 21. Previous to that she defeated all bar the flying Houtzen in the Group III PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick.

Another first-time stakes-winner, Manicure advances her record to 3 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 7 starts with earnings of $226,125.

"To come off such a long spell and travel to Brisbane to win a Listed race is a huge effort by all the team. It's onwards and upwards to the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares now." Godolphin Managing Director Vin Cox said.

Manicure is out of Lonhro's top-class daughter Trim, winner of the Group III STC Research Stakes and Listed VRC Red Roses Stakes.

Trim is a sister to Stubborn who is the dam of that mighty West Australian warrior Gatting the winner of the Group II WATC Lee Steere Stakes and Group II WATC West. Australian Derby and earner of $1.3 million.

After missing in 2014 and 2015, Trim had a colt foal by Teofilo last year. She slipped to Brazen Beau last spring.

Manicure becomes the 152nd stakes-winner for Darley Stud's flagship stallion Exceed And Excel who embarked on his annual foray to Kildangan Stud, Ireland on December 20.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Remembering Northerly – The Greatest Caulfield Cup Winner This Century
It's Caulfield Cup week, and what better moment to revisit the life and times of one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Caulfield Cup winner of the modern era.
One to Watch – Mornington
A homebred for Seymour Bloodstock with an intriguing pedigree opened her account with a stylish win at Mornington on Tuesday.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.
15th G1 Winner for Exceed and Excel
Turning 20 this year, Darley’s champion sire Exceed and Excel has just finished a super successful Magic Millions Sale that saw him with 24 yearlings average $398,542 to be the third leading sire by average and in South Africa on Saturday he posted a 15th Group I winner.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Remembering Sunline – The Queen of the Cox Plate Before Winx
From our vantage point in 2026, we can look back at modern Cox Plate history and marvel at how quickly the years are passing.
Best On Breeding
Placed behind subsequent Melbourne Cup heroine Empire Rose in the New Zealand Oaks, Eau D'Etoile (Sir Tristram) became that rarest of broodmares with three Group 1 winners and a Listed stakes-winner to her credit on the way to earning Broodmare Of The Year status and that should have been her crowning achievement.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
G1 Aussie Pedigree Watch –Newly Minted
Pedigree does matter if you want to be winning races longer than 1200m, although in an interesting twist a colt bred on face value for speed is in fact from the family of Zabeel.
Haras d'Etreham Set Fee for Hotazhell
Triple Group I winner Hotazhell will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham in France at a fee of €15,000 next year before then shuttling to Widden Stud in Australia.