With six of the 10 starters in Saturday’s Listed Mitavite The Phoenix (1615m) at Doomben still maidens, it was the last start Doomben winner The Actuary who did best in a slogging finish to credit Widden Stud’s deceased Sebring with his 60th stakes-winner.
The Actuary earns her first stakes win in Phoenix Stakes (Racing QLD)
Ridden by Baylee Nothdurft for champion trainer Tony Gollan, The Actuary weaved between runners in the straight to hit the lead at the 150 metres then hold the challenge of the Fastnet Rock colt Toscanini by one and a quarter lengths with the Real Impact (JPN) gelding Outburst a long-neck back in third.
The Actuary was making her fifth start having debuted last year with a fifth behind subsequent Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Away Game in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes at Doomben.
The 2yo daughter of Sebring brought up 100 metropolitan winners for the Gollan stable this season.
"It’s fantastic to get a stakes win for Black Soil Bloodstock who put a lot of money in yearlings for the stable,” Gollan said.
“She's very well bred, we wanted to knock over some black-type for her as a two-year-old is very satisfying.
"One hundred winners for the season is a great milestone one that should be celebrated by all our staff from foreman Craig Cavanough down everyone does their bit to make our big team work and hopefully we can notch up a few more.
The Actuary was a $450,000 Magic Millions Yearling
"A huge thanks to all our riders as well, Baylee (Nothdurft) today was exceptional I wasn't sure where he was going to go at the top of the straight there but he knew what he was doing.
"When we brought her back we were always aiming at this race, very comfortable to tip her out now and bring her back next campaign as a three-year-old.
Purchased by Gollan Racing/J Foote B/stock/Black Soil B/stock for $450,000 out of the Widden Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, The Actuary is a half-sister to the Listed MRC Twilight Glow Stakes winner Persuader (Zoustar).
They are two of the three winners out of the stakes-placed Fastnet Rock mare Fast Talker who is a half-sister to the Group III winner Crystal Dreamer (Stratum) out of the Listed SAJC Dequetteville Stakes winner Crystal Wit (Distorted Humor) who is a half-sister to Golden Slipper heroine Crystal Lily (Stratum).
Fast Talker has a weanling filly by Zoustar but slipped to Trapeze Artist last spring.
