The
most expensive filly sold at the 2017 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, blue-blooded
Fastnet Rock filly Angel made a winning debut at Geelong on Thursday.
Prepared by the Hayes / Dabernig training partnership, Angel was a short priced
favourite for the 1118 metre two year-old fillies maiden having shown good
ability in three previous trials, two of them behind leading Magic Millions contenders
Sunlight and Nomothaj.
Drawn near the outside, Angel was sent forward from the gates by Mark Zahra and
had to do a bit of work to take over second position when it looked as though
she would be posted three wide.
To her credit, she relaxed when she got there and had plenty left in the tank
when it came time to quicken up down the running and she duly forged clear to
win by two lengths in a dominant display.
"It was a good effort as I had to put her out of her comfort zone to get her up
to second in the run, but otherwise we were going to be wide," said Zahra.
"She's still got a bit to learn, but she couldn't have done any more than she
did today."
A $1.2 million Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft, the daughter of
Fastnet Rock runs for Coolmore and US based Stonestreet Stables, who purchased
her dam Dazzling Gazelle from the Teeley Assets Dispersal in 2014 for $400,000.
At the same sale, Stonestreet also bought Angel's half-sister Miracles of Life
for $900,000. At that time, Miracles of Life had won the Group I MRC Blue Diamond
Stakes and then for her new owners she added the Group I SAJC William Hill
Classic.
Angel is the fourth foal of Dazzling Gazelle, an unraced daughter of More Than
Ready (USA) from the family of Group winners Exclusive Halo, Miss Jugah and
Kiwi based Sumstreetsomewhere.
Dazzling Gazelle has no yearling for the sales this year, but did produce a
colt by Redoute's Choice last year and is now in foal to Snitzel.
Miracles of Life has a yearling filly by Medaglia D'Oro (USA) and produced
another filly by the same sire last year. She was subsequently covered by
American Pharoah (USA).