MAGIC MILLIONS SALES AROUND THE CORNER

 

With the new year just around the corner, the 2025 Magic Millions Sales on the Gold Coast are fast approaching. It was 2023 when Nathan took out the Magic Millions “The Debut 2YO Plate” with Rush Hour. In 2025 he is hoping to have Hidden Motive (4^th in the Breeders Plate) contest the feature Juvenile sprint on January 11.

This year, if the interest is there, we are looking to form an “All Girls Syndicate”. The bonuses attached to such syndicates are massive. Should they return to run in the 2yo Classic and 3yo Guineas, bonuses of $500,000 and $250,000 respectively are on offer for the first four all female owned horses’ home. Expressions of interest can be registered at bloodstock@doyleracing.com.au

TWO TRACK TREBLE NOT A HIDDEN GEM

 

A two-track treble on a Saturday is a rare feat, but it was one which was achieved on Saturday December 7 by Team Doyle. Midnight Opal, Private Harry and Churchill’s Choice were all successful on what was a memorable day for the stable.

Rosehill was the sight of Nathan’s metropolitan double when he book-ended the program. Private Harry was never comfortable in the heavy going, but class will take you a long way. In a field that was full of talent, Private Harry was able to sit outside the lead and quicken in the straight to eventually score by 1 ¼ lengths. The victory made it three wins from as many starts for the son of Harry Angel, and he will now head to the Gold Coast on January 4 to contest the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight.

“He was never comfortable in the going, and the heavy track took away from his turn of foot” said Nathan post-race. “He would normally quicken and dash away, but today he had to tough it out. We will now manage him to the Gold Coast – as it is four weeks away, he may have a soft trial in between, or we will gallop him between races at Newcastle on December 19. The horse will tell us what he needs. I was happy to see him strong through the line at the 1200m, but coming back to 1100m at the Coast off a month break you will hopefully see him at his best”.

The second leg of the Rosehill double was Midnight Opal. Fourth up from a spell on what was by race ten a very heavy track, Midnight Opal gave nothing else a chance scoring a dominant 3 ¼ lengths victory. Ridden confidently by Jason Collett, the son of Deep Field made it three wins from eleven starts with two minor placings – taking his prizemoney to just shy of $200,000. “The blinkers have really worked well on this horse, he has been much better at his last two outings. I also thought he would be better when he could get his toe in the ground, but was a little uncertain when it was so heavy – but he got through it very well. Hopefully now he can go right on with it, and live up to the potential he has always shown” were Nathan’s comments following the win.

The two city wins were split by the victory of Churchill’s Choice on her home track. Stepping up from Maiden company is never easy, but the daughter of Churchill made the step up to Class 1 grade, and despite sitting three deep the trip saluted the judge with a head to spare. “That was a gutsy effort as she had to work throughout the race. She probably had no right to win the way the race was run, but she showed toughness and desire over the concluding stages” said Nathan when asked of the win.

The win made it two wins from two outings for Churchill’s Choice, with the promise of many more to come. “I will see how she is in coming days, and if she seems okay we will press on. Similarly, if I think she has had enough she will go for a break – but either way she has a bright future”.

When spoken to the following day, Nathan said of the treble “It is a credit to all the staff, and a reward for all their hard work. Days like that don’t occur all that often, but they don’t occur by accident either. We are grateful to all our owners and it is especially satisfying to reward their support – hopefully there are more days like that in the future”.

 

MISSILE CHARM’S AT TUNCURRY

 

Off the back of an encouraging debut where she placed third at Port Macquarie on November 14, Missile Charm went two placings better to open her winning account at Tuncurry on December 9. Guided by a well-timed Ash Morgan ride, Missile Charm (Smart Missile x Tinga) swept down the outside in the straight to score by ½ length. The filly had been a month between runs after being a late scratching at Newcastle on November 27 when getting a leg up on the running board in the barriers. “She has her quirks this filly, but she also has some ability. She was wide and made a long run, but Ash timed it well. It is nice to reward Seymour Bloodstock and her other owners, as she can sometimes test everyone’s patience”.

 

MEET THE STAFF

 

They say once racing is in your blood it never leaves, and that is certainly the case with Mark Spackman. The son of a trainer, Mark never really had an alternative – he was always going to be in racing. And so it has been for over forty years, the last 3 ½ years spent at Doyle Racing as a stablehand and truck driver.

Mark’s father was an apprentice jockey who like so many lost the battle against weight and turned his hand to training. From the time he was old enough Mark was involved with horses - and has worked as a breaker, track work rider, farrier and truck driver. Mark also held his own trainers’ licence for over ten years, training a few city winners in Queensland along the way. He has worked for such trainers as Les Bridge, John Hawkes, David Hall, Tim Martin and Alan Bailey in a variety of states, and lists Miss Zoe, Joie Denise and Toulouse Lautrec as some of the best horses he has been involved with. His stable favourite since joining team Doyle is undoubtedly Harlem Queen, whom he strapped when she finished second in this year’s Group 1 Flight Stakes.

Mark brings to the stable experience and knowledge, invaluable commodities when running a successful stable.

 

ONE TO FOLLOW

 

MONTY BE QUICK: If barrier trials are anything to go by, it is hard to see anything other than a successful preparation coming up for Monty Be Quick. Back from a 4 ½ month break, Monty Be Quick has had two trials this time in, for a win at Muswellbrook and a narrow second at Wyong. He went to the paddock an emphatic 5 ½ lengths winner at Kembla Grange, and it would be no surprise to see him salute first up.

EXCEPTIONAL STRIKE RATE CONTINUES

 

The recent spate of winners has seen Nathan and the team improve their winning strike rate for the 2024-25 racing season. From the 110 starters saddled up to date, twenty-five have been successful at a strike rate of one winner every 4.40 runners. Coupled with this, a further thirty-two starters have finished in the placings, meaning 51.8% of runners facing the starter have finished in the first three. These figures have Nathan placed eleventh in the NSW Trainers Premiership over one-third of the way through the season.

 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

 

On behalf of everyone at Doyle Racing, we would like to wish all our valued owners a very Merry Christmas, and a safe and prosperous New Year filled with many winners. Thank you for your amazing support throughout 2024, and we hope to provide you with great joy in 2025.