Fashion Legend, Vinco Score on Magic Millions Day Card

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Fashion Legend, Vinco Score on Magic Millions Day Card
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Photo: Courtesy Magic Millions
Fashion Legend narrowly prevails over Yellow Brick to win the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at Gold Coast

Will Freedman was full of praise for Bon Ho following the Jan. 19 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas after the prominent Hong Kong-based owner's Fashion Legend provided somewhat of an upset victory in the Gold Coast contest.

The son of Newgate Farm stallion Deep Field headed into the race following a hat-trick of victories, with the latter of those coming in the Vo Rogue Plate (G3) at Doomben on New Year's Eve, beating Count Da Beans (AUS) by a head.

Sent off as a AU$21 chance jumping from barrier 14, the Richard and Will Freedman-trained gelding was ridden by Josh Parr and came with a late surge to narrowly deny favorite Yellow Brick by a neck with a further head back to Hell I Am in third place, taking his overall record to five wins from eight starts with prize-money now topping AU$1.45 million.

"He gave me the leap of faith," Freedman said of Ho, who landed the 2020 renewal of The Everest at Randwick with Classique Legend.

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"This was the first horse I ever bought in, and I sent him an email saying that I was a struggling Scone trainer and that I needed some horses.

"He went, 'I like the sound of you' and he gave me a go. Now I've won the Magic Millions Guineas. I know group 1s are everything, but he puts a lot of money into it.

"I'm particularly pleased for Bon Ho. He's a great supporter of Australian racing and he looks for results like this.

"He never puts pressure on you but they're also the ones that put the most pressure on you because they want results.

"I never thought I'd be speechless. It's not a trait Freedmans have much (of). We thought he had good form and he sat three-wide without cover. He's just a tough, honest horse and I can't believe it."

A AU$260,000 (US$202,255) purchase at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Ho out of the Rosemont Stud draft, Fashion Legend was bred by the stud and is the second winner out of the winning Exceed And Excel  mare Sarong, a half sister to the dams of dual group 1 winner Fashions Afield and group 3 scorer Runway Star.

Gollan Doubles Up on Magic Day

Tony Gollan was again back on the scoresheet after taking the Magic Million 2YO Classic with Skirt The Law in the final race on the card as Queensland's leading trainer landed the Magic Millions Cup with AU$21 chance Vinco.

Vinco wins the 2023 Whispering Angel Magic Millions Cup
Photo: Courtesy Magic Millions
Ben Thompson celebrates aboard Vinco after the pair takes the Magic Millions Cup

Benefitting from a daring Ben Thompson ride, the 6-year-old son of I Am Invincible  shot up the inside of his 12 rivals and stayed on strongly under pressure to beat AU$3.60 favorite Oscar Zulu by three-quarters of a length, with a further head back to Holyfield in third, rounding off a magic day for the Eagle Farm-based trainer.

"It's been an amazing day," Gollan said. "The filly was unbelievable early and to have that sort of thrill early in the day makes it hard to keep things rolling. It's a great finish to a brilliant day."

It was an overdue success for Thompson, who was narrowly beaten aboard Yellow Brick in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas earlier in the day.

"It's bittersweet because I'd ridden Fashion Legend at his last two starts and I was only wrong by a neck, but that's all it took.

"But, to ride a winner is hard enough and I'm fortunate to get a winner today (because) they're not easy to come by.

"A huge thank you to Tony Gollan. He's a great supporter of mine and just to get a winner on these big days when the best riders in the land are in town is great."

Bred by Yarraman Park, Vinco is a half brother to the group 2-placed Berimbau, the dam of triple group 1-winning New Zealand-based mare Imperatriz. He is the final foal out of the winning Encosta de Lago mare Percussive, who died in 2016.

Vinco was the third Magic Millions winner of the day bred and sold by Yarraman Park alongside Magic Millions Sprint winner King Of Sparta and Magic Millions Syndicate scorer Centrefire.