Skirt The Law Leads a Filly Finish in Magic Millions

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Skirt The Law Leads a Filly Finish in Magic Millions
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Photo: Courtesy Magic Millions
Skirt The Law captures the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at Gold Coast

It was all about the girls in the Jan. 19 AU$2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic as the unbeaten Skirt The Law produced a thoroughly dominant performance to lead home a front five filled by fillies.

The victory capped what was yet another breakthrough day for Jeff Kruger's Lyndhurst Stud Farm and Better Than Ready following last week's yearling sale triumph, where Lot 345 became the sire's highest-priced yearling ever to be sold at sale at AU$530,000.

Having shown bundles of potential in a debut success over 1,050 meters at Doomben on Nov. 12, Skirt The Law then followed up in the easiest of fashions over 1,200 meters at the same track the following month, beating maiden winner Torque I Tee by 5 1/4 lengths.

Ridden by Ryan Maloney, who had been aboard for both those previous starts, in yesterday's AU$2 million event, the Tony Gollan-trained filly was sent off a AU$7 shot and was angled out to the middle of the track for a run rounding the home straight, picking up stylishly to come home a comfortable length and a half in front of Platinum Jubilee, with a further length back to Summer Loving (AUS) in third.

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Infatuation, beaten just over two and a half lengths, and Fire Lane, beaten two and three-quarter lengths, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, completing the fillies-dominated finish, with Skirt The Law securing connections an extra AU$350,000 for the ladies' bonus in addition to the AU$1.16 million winner's check.

"She’s a beauty—John Foote and the team bought her at the sales. I know we all say when we buy them that we're going to get back here next year, but we identified her as being early, and all she’s done is improve," Gollan said.

"I had to trust her today, and she didn't let me down. I'm very fortunate to have a good team that buys good horses. To train a filly like her is awfully exciting.

"There is a very excited bunch of ladies (involved). It has been an amazing journey. The ladies group chats started lighting up after her first win, and then we dreamed about being here on this day. And all the talk was about the ladies' bonus.

"I really wanted to win this race, one of the best in Queensland, and now we've won it, it means so much."

Maloney revealed he was confident of a bold showing before the off and felt the race was over when he called upon a full effort from the filly.

"From the barrier draw (2) and her trackwork, I was that confident. It went to script, and it was perfect for us in the run," the winning rider said.

"She's that versatile, and she gives everything she's got, and once the gap was there, it was basically all over."

Bred and offered for sale by Lyndhurst Stud Farm, Skirt The Law was a AU$170,000 (US$122,577) purchase for Gollan Racing, John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and Black Soil Bloodstock at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She is the first foal to race out of the stakes-placed Exceed And Excel  mare Outlaw Kate, bought by Kruger for AU$30,000 ($20,751) out of Segenhoe Stud at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale.

That purchase soon proved to be a shrewd one with the mare's half brother, Masked Crusader, subsequently winning the William Reid Stakes (G1) and finishing runner-up in both the TJ Smith Stakes (G1) and The Everest.

Skirt The Law's feature success moves Better Than Ready into first place on the 2-year-old sires earnings table, with the 2018-19 season’s champion Australian first season sire by winners' progeny now having amassed AU$1,579,150 in prize-money this season.