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By Frances O'Shea

Take note punters - trainer Peter Snowden is seeking to 'capitalise' on his promising filly Memo’s recent Canterbury trial success by adding another Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m) to his tally on Wednesday.

Snowden won the 2015 edition of the Classic with Memo’s sire Capitalist (Blake Shinn) in 2015, and again in 2022 in partnership with son Paul when Capitalist’s son Sovereign Fund (James McDonald) scored.

Trainer Peter Snowden prepares Wyong MM fancy Memo. Image by Bradley Photographers

Two years on, Snowden is attempting to win the $200,000 feature with another product of Capitalist (who also won both the 2016 Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast and Gr 1-Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens), but this time a filly.

He paid $350,000 for Memo ($5 on TAB), the second foal of Fastnet Rock mare and five times winner Notation at the Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast in January, and syndicated her to a group which includes Racing and Sports boss Gary Crispe.

Memo began her career with an excellent third to Bel Merci against her own sex in the Gr 3-Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 5.

“Her run was excellent that day,” Snowden said. “Memo drew the second outside barrier in a field of 14, got well back and came home strongly.

“We gave her a break after that with a view to this race at Wyong and the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast next month.

“Memo beat four rivals in a 900m fillies’ trial at Canterbury last Tuesday, again finishing off well. That will set her up nicely for the Wyong race.

“Obviously the aim is to get to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (worth $3m) next month, and she needs to race well on Wednesday to earn more prizemoney to be sure of making the January 11 field. Currently she has just over $22,000 from her Gimcrack placing.”

Kerrin McEvoy will continue his association with Memo at Wyong. He has partnered her in both trials (she also won the first over 850m on the Kensington Track on September 23) as well as her Gimcrack debut.

Snowden also accepted with Memo’s stablemate Zealously ($3.30 favourite) in the Magic Millions Wyong 3 & 4YO Stakes (1200m), but at acceptance time had not confirmed whether the Harry Angel three-year-old would attempt a hat-trick.

“I have also nominated him for Canterbury on Friday night, and want to have a look at both races before making a decision which way we go,” he explained.

Zealously, a $270,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase last year, has struck form with a vengeance this preparation. He bolted home first-up in a Kembla Grange Maiden Plate (1000m) on November 5 before also comfortably taking a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m) at Wyong 18 days later as a long odds-on favorite.

Wyong’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic shapes as a valuable form guide to the approaching $3m feature at the Gold Coast next month.

Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s Extreme Choice colt Tempestuous ($2.30 fav) is currently an $8 favourite for the Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic, and Memo shares the second line of betting at $11 with Brisbane filly Hi Barbie, a debut Listed 1110m winner on heavy ground at Doomben on November 30.

Nash Rawiller rode Tempestuous in his photo-finish second to ill-fated stablemate King Kirk in the Gr 3-Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at Randwick the same day Memo also made her debut, and has since partnered him in a 740m Randwick barrier trial success on November 26.

Tempestuous, at $375,000, fetched a bit more than Memo at the Magic Millions sale in January - but isn’t the highest-priced yearling in Wednesday’s race. That belongs to Snowden’s fellow Randwick trainer Michael Freedman’s Snitzel colt Offenbach, who brought $650,000.

Offenbach ($6) on debut wasn’t beaten far by another son of Snitzel in Blitzburg (a rival again at Wyong) in a Newcastle 2YO Maiden Plate (900m) on November 27. Tommy Berry rode him then and stays with him at Wyong.

Importantly, he has drawn the rails barrier and Tempestuous is beside him, whereas Memo once more has to jump from near the outside.

Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm has booked Zac Lloyd for his unraced Anders filly Swedish Glitter ($41), who easily won an 860m trial at home last Tuesday in preparation for her Wyong debut. Lundholm ran second with $51 outsider Quasimoto to Snowden’s Sovereign Fund in the 2022 edition.

Brave Smash colt Four Degrees ($251), trained at Scone by Lyle Chandler, will race in both blinkers and a lugging bit.

The first of seven races gets underway at 1.45pm, with the rail in the TRUE position and the track rated a Good 4 at acceptance time.

SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 1.45pm: MERCURE KOOINDAH WATERS GOLF & SPA RESORT WYONG MAIDEN HCP (1350m): 1 WEST HEAD, 2 Delrico, 3 Swift Gun, 4 Royal Armada.
RACE 2 – 2.20pm: MAGIC MILLIONS GOLD COAST YEARLING SALE BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1600m): 1 HAPPY SATURDAY, 2 Red Cobra, 3 Fiorsum Fred, 4 turnaround Time.
RACE 3 – 2.55pm: COWYN BUILDING GROUP CLASSIC BENCHMARK 64 HCP (2100m): 1 MANNERHEIM, 2 Flambeur, 3 Broadfield, 4 Montgomery.
RACE 4 – 3.30pm: MAGIC MILLIONS WYONG 3&4YO STAKES (1200m): 1 UNTIL VALHALLA 1, 2 Queen Of The Nile, 3 The Grey, 4 The Novelist.
RACE 5 – 4.05pm: VANDERPOEL SMASH REPAIRS MIDWAY BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1100m): 1 WELCOME GYPSY, 2 Big Boy George, 3 Zoukerino, 4 Bodgie.
RACE 6 – 4.40pm: MAGIC MILLIONS WYONG 2YO CLASSIC (1100m): 1 TEMPESTUOUS, 2 Memo, 3 O ‘Ole, 4 Offenbach.
RACE 7 – 5.15pm: SKY RACING PROVINCIAL BENCHMARK 68 HCP (1350m): 1 MONTY BE QUICK, 2 Whispering Cate, 3 Miss Checkoni, 4 Tinka’s Lad.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Wyong here