Tony Gollan & Angela Jones have combined with Zarastro ($10.00) to claim the $1 million Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Friday evening, edging clear to make every post a winner in stylish fashion.
The son of I Am Invincible never looked in any danger throughout the 1200m journey, with Jones sending the six-year-old straight to the front on the first bend, ticking over some modest sectionals in the middle stages.
When asked for the ultimate effort, Zarastro put two lengths on The Novelist ($11.00) who chased it in vain, while the well-supported favourite with Neds, Semana ($3.60), could only manage to find a third-place finish after cutting the corner in the final furlong.
It was a barnstorming victory for the Tony Gollan-trained gelding, securing a dominant 2.5-length win and claiming his ninth career victory at start 26.
Tony Gollan was delighted with the performance and spoke post-race.
“We’ve had a good bit of luck in the race and thank God it keeps going,” said Gollan.
“He’s a fantastic horse since he joined the stable. I had real sense that he was starting to peak up in his prep. It was a flat run second-up on the turnaround which I didn’t really want to do but tonight he got a track that was favourable and he’s obviously a high quality sprinter.
“I was never worried that they were going to run him down. As the weeks built up, he wouldn’t have been here last Saturday – he can’t handle the wet but as the tracks dry up, the improvement in this horse during the week had us all confidence.
“We were brimming with confidence.
“We came here last year for the Cup and it was a longer prep. I picked this race out a year ago and we’ve filled the gaps in between. The owners bought him online for bugger all and they’re great supporters of the stable.”
Angela Jones spoke post-race and was confident Zarastro would cling to victory.
“It is so great to be having luck here and to do it on this horse is so great,” said Jones.
“He quickened up in the straight and I was so confident. I wasn’t that confident in the run as he normally tugs a little bit more when he’s on but when we straightened up I felt how much he had left and I was so confident.”
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