After three consecutive stakes-placings in Melbourne, the four-year-old Epaulette mare Paradee was deserving of a big payday and it came in Saturday’s $250,000 The TAB Wave (1800m) at the Gold Coast.
Given a peach of a ride by Craig Williams, the Danny O'Brien-trained mare finished strongly to defeat the game Frosty Rocks (Your Song) by a length with Wapiti (Love Conquers All) two and a quarter lengths back in third.
Owner Robert Anderson did not only pick-up the $145,000 winner’s cheque but also pocketed a $200,000 Magic Millions bonus for being a paid-up race series runner.
The winner of the Group III Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last March, Paradee advances her record to four wins, two seconds and two thirds from 13 starts with earnings of $405,975.
O’Brien has Paradee entered for both the $1 million Subzero over 2400m and an open handicap over 1800m at next Saturdays Magic Millions raceday.
Bred by Bert Vieira, Paradee was purchased by her owner Ron Anderson for $240,000 out of the Bowness Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the first live foal of the unraced Medaglia d’Oro (USA) mare Icy Heels who is a half-sister to the Breeders’ Plate winner Law.
Vieira had purchased Icy Heels for $130,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Icy Heels has an unraced 2yo filly by Winning Rupert named Lawbreaker and a yearling colt by Pride Of Dubai.
Sadly, Icy Heels died last September when in foal to Trapeze Artist.