Two-year-old filly Icarian Dream’s win in the B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday will see her head into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic having had four starts before year’s end, which might seem a lot in this day and age – but is it? We’ve had a look.
The Blue Point filly trialled at the official Sydney two-year-old trials, winning her heat, and ultimately made a winning debut on October 16 in a midweek juvenile maiden, having been an acceptor for the Gimcrack Stakes earlier but scratched.
She has subsequently finished fourth in the Group III Golden Gift, second in a two-year-old handicap at Rosehill and now her win the Group III McLachlan.
That sees the Magic Millions 2YO Classic as her fifth start and she’ll be trying to emulate 2019 winner Exhilarates, a filly which also had four led up runs.
In the last 15 years there’s actually been 62 horses have four or more lead up runs.
Only two have won, with 2014 Unencumbered the other, having had five.
The most lead up efforts actually took place in the 2024 running with two Mishani horses, Mishani Express having had seven previous, and Mishani Ego six.
They finished 10th and 1th respectively.
Here’s the horses with four or more lead ups. And below that the number of lead ups for the last 15 winners.
| Year | Horse | Finish | Runs Prior |
| 2024 | Mishani Express | 10 | 7 |
| 2024 | Mishani Ego | 14 | 6 |
| 2022 | Mishani Persuasion | 14 | 5 |
| 2022 | Mishani Warfare | 5 | 5 |
| 2021 | Mishani Scandal | 15 | 5 |
| 2019 | Betaima | 15 | 5 |
| 2019 | Sebrakate | 9 | 5 |
| 2017 | Goodfella | 4 | 5 |
| 2016 | Rainy Day Woman | 12 | 5 |
| 2014 | Unencumbered | 1 | 5 |
| 2013 | Architect | 8 | 5 |
| 2013 | Choose A Saga | 5 | 5 |
| 2012 | Travino | 12 | 5 |
| 2012 | Snipzu | 9 | 5 |
| 2011 | Zed Man | 10 | 5 |
| 2010 | Tough Luck | 8 | 5 |
| 2009 | Fast Lover | 11 | 5 |
| 2024 | Arabian Summer | 5 | 4 |
| 2024 | Mishani Aloha | 7 | 4 |
| 2024 | Territory Ash | 9 | 4 |
| 2024 | Sheza Chiquitita | 12 | 4 |
| 2024 | Vianarra | 11 | 4 |
| 2023 | Infatuation | 4 | 4 |
| 2023 | She's A Rogue | 13 | 4 |
| 2022 | Sneaky Starter | 7 | 4 |
| 2022 | Thelwell | 11 | 4 |
| 2022 | Perfect Mission | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | Snitcat | 3 | 4 |
| 2022 | Heroic Son | 10 | 4 |
| 2021 | Mura Mura | 13 | 4 |
| 2021 | Baby Wong | 8 | 4 |
| 2021 | You'll Be Mist | 14 | 4 |
| 2019 | Courseshewill | 8 | 4 |
| 2019 | Exhilarates | 1 | 4 |
| 2019 | The Odyssey | 12 | 4 |
| 2017 | Real Princess | 8 | 4 |
| 2017 | Saxton Rock | 15 | 4 |
| 2016 | Punishing | 14 | 4 |
| 2015 | Wicked Intent | 6 | 4 |
| 2015 | Miss Idyllic | 16 | 4 |
| 2015 | Frequendly | 12 | 4 |
| 2014 | Ruby Soho | 3 | 4 |
| 2014 | Totally Sure | 12 | 4 |
| 2014 | Sheer Style | 14 | 4 |
| 2013 | Gracious Prospect | 7 | 4 |
| 2013 | Greytfilly | 9 | 4 |
| 2013 | Missy Longstocking | 3 | 4 |
| 2012 | Little Critter | 15 | 4 |
| 2012 | Lady Colours | 10 | 4 |
| 2011 | Double Impact | 8 | 4 |
| 2011 | Playtime | 12 | 4 |
| 2011 | Five O'clock | 7 | 4 |
| 2011 | Internal Revenue | 16 | 4 |
| 2011 | Racing Stripes | 15 | 4 |
| 2011 | Merryanna | 9 | 4 |
| 2011 | Flammable | 13 | 4 |
| 2010 | Jantzen | 6 | 4 |
| 2010 | Mundi Gully | 7 | 4 |
| 2010 | Ebony Rock | 4 | 4 |
| 2010 | Marking Time | 12 | 4 |
| 2009 | Paprika | 2 | 4 |
| 2009 | Fairchild | 8 | 4 |
Winners Lead Ups
| Year | Winner | Runs Prior |
| 2024 | Storm Boy | 2 |
| 2023 | Skirt The Law | 2 |
| 2022 | Coolangatta | 2 |
| 2021 | Shaquero | 3 |
| 2020 | Away Game | 2 |
| 2019 | Exhilarates | 4 |
| 2018 | Sunlight | 3 |
| 2017 | Houtzen | 2 |
| 2016 | Capitalist | 2 |
| 2015 | Le Chef | 3 |
| 2014 | Unencumbered | 5 |
| 2013 | Real Surreal | 3 |
| 2012 | Driefontein | 2 |
| 2011 | Karuta Queen | 3 |
| 2010 | Military Rose | 3 |
