Important victory for Mosty with $500,000 bonus at stake

THE horse they call “Mosty” joined the ranks of racing’s millionaires on Saturday as he secured a $500,000 bonus with a tenacious win at Eagle Farm.

Too good: Most Important (right) gets the better of Ninth Legion. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

THE horse they call “Mosty” joined the ranks of racing’s millionaires on Saturday as he secured a $500,000 bonus with a tenacious win in the Buffering Quality at Eagle Farm.

Just as trainer Tony Gollan had predicted, Most Important did not sprint as quickly under his 58kg on Saturday, but his tenacity enabled him to wear down Ninth Legion, who had staged a brave front-running effort under 59kg.

It was the second blow in the space of 90 minutes to the coffers of UBET, which signed two separate $500,000 bonus cheques on Saturday.

While Winning Rupert was expected to win his bonus, the task for Most Important was considered stiffer.

“I tried not to think about it too much,’’ Gollan said.

‘‘I was so worried about the weight, but time and time again when trainers whinge about the weight, they win.

“He’s a very courageous horse. I knew he would try his guts out.

“It’s a great reward for the animal and we’re just along for the ride.”

Owner Linda Huddy has tasted multiple Group 1 successes with stars Shoot Out and Preferment, but took special satisfaction in the graduation of Most Important from unfulfilled talent to genuine stakes-class galloper.

“For a long time it looked like he was just going to be a Class 6 horse and we were happy with that,” Huddy said.

“If you’d said six weeks ago he would be a million-dollar winner, I would have said that he needed to learn to race a lot better and fortunately for us he’s done that.”

Huddy also has a sister (3YO) and brother (2YO) to Most Important, the latter costing $500,000 at last year’s Magic Millions.

A tenacious Most Important (nearest) wears down Ninth Legion to get up on the line. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

“Mosty was Group 3-placed by that stage so I knew there would be a bit of a premium on him and the sire (I Am Invincible) was flying as well.

“He had a lot of good judges on him and I like to follow the good judges. He’s a very different type to Mosty, but yes, $500,000 was a lot of money.

“It looks a bit better now and every time he wins it’s a good result for the filly’s residual value too.”

Robbie Fradd has formed a brilliant association with Most Important, teaching the gelding to settle better in his races and have something in hand at the finish.

“It’s great that he’s now learned to race properly and is living up to that ability,” Fradd said.

Gollan has the option of running Most Important next in the Magic Millions Sprint (1200m) or Cup (1400m) and at this stage is leaning toward the latter.

Back-door bandits secure crack at $1m

RACING Queensland’s introduction of a wildcard entry for Magic Millions had the desired effect on Saturday, with three horses earning their way into the $10 million day via the back door.

Col ‘N’ Lil (MM Trophy), Hidden Pearl (MM Sprint) and Kinshachi (MM F & M) all earned their chance at a $1 million crack, despite not being sold through the company.

Punters had expected the Darren Weir-trained High Church to earn the Trophy wildcard, but Ben Currie’s Col ‘N’ Lil held him comfortably at bay in the run to the line.

“She ran really well in Sydney last time out and with this wildcard chance, we just had to have a throw at the stumps,” Currie said.

“Obviously it will be harder when we get to the Gold Coast, but I’ve had a good look at the nominations for that race and it’s not the strongest race you will ever see, so I’m pretty happy to have earned a spot.”

Col ‘N’ Lil did not go through a yearling sale and instead is raced by prominent Toowoomba owner Kim McCasker.

Currie and McCasker immediately offered the Magic Millions ride to Kerrin McEvoy, who indicated he would be happy to ride the mare again.

“I think if the second horse had come at her, she would have found again,” McEvoy said.

“She handled the 2200m no problems at all.”

Jockey Damian Lane told connections High Church “went OK.”

“Had they sat up a bit, it might have been different and he might have been able to kick a bit better, but it was a pretty genuine gallop,” Lane said.

“I thought I would round them up around the turn, but he just ground (it out) over the last 300m.”

Stable representative Darren Beadman said Kinshachi was a probable runner on MM day after she took out the Nudgee Quality under Jeff Lloyd.

“We brought two horses up here, so I guess I’ve got half the job done,” Beadman said, in reference to Coorg’s third placing in the B.J. McLachlan earlier in the day.

“She makes her own luck this mare and if she pulls up well, John’s (O’Shea) certainly got the Magic Millions in mind. This wildcard is not too bad.”

Dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour missed the placings, but Tye Angland was never out of trouble on the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott trained filly.

Her effort was inconclusive in terms of how she will line up against Winning Rupert in the Magic Millions Guineas in a fortnight.

Originally published as Important victory for Mosty with $500,000 bonus at stake