3 minute read
Becomes 19th two-year-old winner of the season for Maher and Eustace.
Amish Boy (2 c ex Sheeznodoubt by Not A Single Doubt) prevailed in a close finish to land the Magic Millions 2YO Adelaide Classic (1200m) at Morphettville and became the second two-year-old winner of the season for Widden Stud-based sire Star Witness (Starcraft).
Purchased by his trainer for $300,000 from the Widden Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale making the colt the most expensive purchase in the 1200 metre field, Amish Boy has clearly been rated highly by his trainers having been tested at stakes level on his second and third career starts, most recently when finishing fourth behind Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m) last month.
Settled at the back of the pack by Jye McNeil, the colt flew round the outside, eating up ground with every stride and eventually headed the Robbie Griffiths-trained Glenfiddich (Fastnet Rock) in the shadow of the winning post.
The winner handed the Maher and Eustace team their 19th two-year-old winner of the season, with Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Away Game (Snitzel) their highest juvenile earner - and second overall in their stable - with prize-money totalling $1,395,300.
"He thoroughly deserved that, he has been a bit unlucky not to have won a race," said Eustace.
"We thought he was good enough to run in the Magic Millions [2YO Classic] in January, but he didn't quite get there. Full credit to the whole team for keeping him up, happy and healthy and he's travelled over great and hasn't missed an oat. We thought they would go early, but he got the perfect ride I suppose and just got there in time."
When pressed where the colt would head next, Eustace said they would consider something like the ATC Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick on April 4.
"We think he's got stakes ability and we've run him in those sorts of races," Eustace said.
"He'll definitely get further as well so whether he goes up to Sydney and we consider something like the [ATC] Sires' [Produce] or whether we just go a rung below we can work that out."
Amish Boy is out of winning Not A Single Doubt (Redoute's Choice) mare Sheeznodoubt, who was snapped up by Damon Gabbedy's Belmont Bloodstock Agency for $34,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale in 2013 and the colt becomes the sixth winner out of the mare whose progeny also includes Listed-placed She's Our Star (Star Witness).
Further back the colt is from the family of 2012 Expressway Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) scorer Rain Affair (Commands) and Listed-winners Walk Alone (Honour And Glory) and Wayupinthesky (Snitzel).
In 2018 Sheeznodoubt foaled a sister to Amish Boy, while the mare missed to Star Witness' barnmate Your Song (Fastnet Rock) in 2018 and has most recently been covered again by the son of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) last September.
Star Witness stood for $27,500 (inc GST) in 2019 where he covered 79 mares. The stallion has ten lots catalogued at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, which begins its two-day run on Tuesday, while he has two lots set to go under the hammer at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.
