Newgate Graduate Semana wins $1million Magic Millions Cup

Tara Madgwick - Sunday January 14

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace put a frustrating run of Magic Millions Raceday near-misses behind them to win Saturday’s Restricted Listed $1 million Jewel Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast with improving mare Semana, who becomes the third stakes-winner for her sire Winning Rupert.

Semana gets her fi rst Black Type win in the MM Cup for fillies and mare - image Grant Courtney

The powerful stable saddled up third-placed Spywire and fourth-placed Erno’s Cube in the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and also went close with Zenzella in the Magic Millions Subzero and Froebel Star in the Magic Millions Debut Fillies earlier in the day.

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But it was Semana, a daughter of Winning Rupert, that had them smiling thanks to a dominant two length win over Meridius and Revolutionary Miss.  

Sold for $200,000 out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2021 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Semana was purchased by James Bester Bloodstock and Vantage Thoroughbreds.

Semana got valuable Black Type for her win as well as cash! - image Grant Courtney

Maher said he was impressed with the mare’s effort to race wide and keep finding the line.

“She’s been a real revelation, this mare since she’s come back into the yard,” Maher said.

“The owners have always had a lot of faith in her.

“That was a pretty big win. She had no cover all the way. She looked like she worked most of the way and was very strong to the line.

“It is a long week but we were professional placegetters today. I needed a winner but it has been fantastic.”

Semana is the best of two winners from metro winning Nicconi mare Festivity, a half-sister to stakes-winner Merriest.

Festivity was bought from the Newgate Consignment at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last year by Lime Country Thoroughbreds for $85,000 and produced a colt for them last spring by Farnan and she is back in foal to him again.

Semana is the third stakes-winner for Winning Rupert, who started his stud career with Newgate Farm and now stands at Grandview Stud in Queensland at a fee of $7,700.

 

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Race Result - $1M Jewel Magic Millions Cup (RL) 1400m

Gold Coast Track: Good(3) Time: 1:21.46
1
Semana
- 4m Winning Rupert (AUS) x Festivity (AUS) (Nicconi (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54
2
2
Meridius
- 4g Extreme Choice (AUS) x Jardine (AUS) (Stryker (AUS))
Tnr: L Kennewell & L Yeomans Rdr: Jamie Kah 54
3
2.2
Revolutionary Miss
- 4m Russian Revolution (AUS) x Purcentage (AUS) (Onemorenomore (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
Inglis March (Late) Online Sale $30,000
Seller: Owners
Buyer: Brendan
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $250,000
Seller: Sledmere Stud, Scone, NSW
Buyer: Danny O'Brien Racing
4
2.3
Far Too Easy
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Mnemonic (AUS) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: D A McColm Rdr: James Orman 59
5
2.5
The Ritz
- 6g Mossman (AUS) x All Trumped Up (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Morrison Rdr: R Dolan 53
6
2.6
Battleton
- 5g Zoustar (AUS) x Dulverton (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Tim Clark 54
7
3.1
Zarastro
- 5g I Am Invincible (AUS) x Adrift (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: Angela Jones 57.5
8
3.6
Loch Eagle
- 5g Lonhro (AUS) x Song Street (IRE) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: N Rawiller 58.5
9
4.1
Lavish Empire
- 4g Spieth (NZ) x Kissame Mucho (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: M J Dee 54
10
4.6
Perfect Thought
- 4h So You Think (NZ) x Perfectly Safe (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Craig Williams 53
11
5.1
King Of Hastings
- 7g Ilovethiscity (AUS) x Handcut (AUS) (Danerich (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Tyler Schiller 54
12
5.3
Zoushack
- 7g Zoustar (AUS) x Shack (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: R L Heathcote Rdr: Cejay Graham 53
13
6.6
Frosty Rocks
- 7g Your Song (AUS) x Virtual Velocity (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56.5
14
6.8
Sunfall
- 5g Zoustar (AUS) x Queen Of The Falls (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: B J Lockwood Rdr: Martin Harley 54
15
7.2
Dynamic Impact
- 6g Real Impact (JPN) x Soleil Royale (AUS) (French Deputy (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Ashley Morgan 54
16
7.7
Arentee
- 5g Territories (IRE) x Autumn (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Chris Meagher Rdr: Damien Thornton 53
17
9
Irish Songs
- 8g Shamus Award (AUS) x Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar (USA))
Tnr: Louise White Rdr: Jake Bayliss 56.5
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