Debutante Soaring Ambition has rocketed into Magic Millions calculations with an against-the-odds win at Wyong.
“Bring on the Magic Millions.”
That was the declaration from trainer Annabel Neasham after Soaring Ambition overcame a significant bump on the home turn to lift herself off the canvas and claim a crucial lead-up race to the $2 million Gold Coast feature.
The Not A Single Doubt filly was beginning to creep into the race coming to the home turn in Wednesday’s Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m) when rival Speak Now shifted out abruptly, knocking her off course.
Neasham initially feared Soaring Ambition ($11) was going to clip heels and fall but jockey Tommy Berry was able to balance her back up and the youngster charged late to nail Miss Hellfire ($5.50) by a neck with Wealthy Investor ($18) another short half-head away third.
“I was just happy she was stood up and OK, so to win the race was pretty special,” Neasham told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“She is obviously pretty talented because not everything went her way then and she still managed to get the job done.
“Bring on the Gold Coast.”
Bookmakers reacted immediately with Soaring Ambition firming from a pre-race quote of $201 to an $11 chance for next month’s Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
Berry has no doubt Soaring Ambition has the talent to give the race a shake and said she won with something in hand.
“It was a great effort. The last track you want to get that sort of interference on the corner is Wyong,” Berry said.
“We were wide with cover, which is where we thought we would be from that alley. I trucked up to the corner and I felt like the winner but all of that got taken away from me rounding the bend.
“She picked herself up quickly and she won with a lot of authority.”
The victory gave Neasham the two feature races on the program after she earlier took out the Magic Millions Wyong 3YO and 4YO Stakes (1200m) with Wisdom Of Water.