Drifting put on a dominant display in Saturday’s Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill, solidifying her place as a contender for the upcoming Golden Slipper Stakes.
2024 Magic Night Stakes winner Drifting is exempt from Golden Slipper ballot. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained filly had impressed with a close second in the Listed Festival Stakes at Flemington, and she thrived upon her return to Sydney.
The step up to 1200m proved to be no obstacle as she powered to a convincing victory in the Group 2 Magic Night Stakes.
While the event may not appear exceptionally strong on paper ahead of the 2024 Golden Slipper field, Drifting’s impressive performance earmarks her as a legitimate threat.
Furthermore, her victory grants her a guaranteed spot in the field for the world’s richest two-year-old race.
Tom Sherry orchestrated a well-timed ride for Drifting, settling her comfortably in second position behind the early leader Valabing.
With 250m remaining, Drifting surged into the lead, challenged by the favourite Fly Fly.
However, Drifting displayed remarkable grit, holding off Fly Fly’s late charge to secure a 1.18-length victory.
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott‘s Chateau Miraval completed the podium positions.
This win evokes memories of Kiamichi, who in 2019 became the first filly since Bint Marscay (1993) to achieve the coveted Magic Night Stakes – Golden Slipper Stakes double.
Co-trainer Peter Snowden acknowledges the quick turnaround but remains optimistic about Drifting’s chances.
“We’ll see how she goes. We never make a decision on game day. Obviously, you only get a chance once and she’s a very tough filly so it wouldn’t be beyond her. We’ll give her every opportunity,” he said.
“It was good to see her do what she did. She was strong late.”
Following her win, Drifting’s pre-field Golden Slipper odds at Ladbrokes have tightened significantly, moving from triple figures to $51.
2024 Magic Night Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | DRIFTING | Peter & Paul Snowden | Tom Sherry | 9 | 55.5kg | $4.20 | |||
| 2 | 3 | FLY FLY | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Jason Collett | 1.18L | 5 | 55.5kg | $3F | ||
| 3 | 5 | CHATEAU MIRAVAL | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 1.29L | 3 | 55.5kg | $7.50 | ||
| 4 | 2 | CASTANYA | Annabel Neasham | Zac Lloyd (a) | 1.58L | 2 | 55.5kg | $3.90 | ||
| 5 | 10 | SHE SMASHES | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | James McDonald | 3.38L | 6 | 55.5kg | $10 | ||
| 6 | 7 | SOUTHERN CHARM | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 6.79L | 7 | 55.5kg | $21 | ||
| 7 | 6 | TOTOKA | Paul Perry | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 8.02L | 8 | 55.5kg | $15 | ||
| 8 | 11 | VALABING | David Payne | Ms Rachel King | 9.74L | 1 | 55.5kg | $61 | ||
| 9 | 12 | ITSZARBABY | Gary Portelli | Tom Marquand | 10.71L | 4 | 55.5kg | $91 | ||
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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