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Aim takes out Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Aim (3 g ex Vintage Strike by Smart Strike) provided the Widden Stud-based sire Star Witness (Starcraft) with his 18th stakes winner when he landed a shock victory in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
The three-year-old gelding shot clear in the closing stages to beat Amish Boy - who is also by Star Witness - by a length and three-quarters, while last year's Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Away Game (Snitzel) was another three-quarters of a length away in third.
The heavily-backed $2.15 favourite Isotope (Deep Field) stumbled and dislodged jockey Ryan Maloney early in the home straight before galloping on unharmed past the winning post.
Snowden however was confident Aim could regain his best form on a dry track in the Guineas after failing in the wet first-up in midweek grade in Sydney.
"He just needed to get back on firm going and we just had to bite our tongue and run him a fortnight ago to get him started," Snowden said.
"Knowing the horse he just doesn't let down and he ran accordingly that day.
"He lost his way a wee bit after that two-year-old season but he's back as a gelding this preparation and it's been the making of him.
"He's a lot stronger now but that comes with maturity as well."
Aim was expected to be sold to Hong Kong earlier this season but the sale fell through.
"The money didn't come through so we just played on and look what we've got today," Snowden said.
"Thankfully we've got him back and who knows what can happen from here."
Purchased by China Horse Club and Newgate Bloodstock for $200,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Newhaven Park draft, the colt is the only winner out of winning Smart Strike (Mr Prospector) mare Vintage Strike.
Vintage Strike herself is out of Group 1 winner Bollinger (Dehere) - who is also the dam of Grade 2 scorer Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) and Group 2 scorer Villermont (All Too Hard).
Further back this is the same family as 1993 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Bint Marscay (Marscay) - the dam of Group 3-winning pair Sheraton (Woodman) and Mannington (Danehill), who in turn produced Group 1 winner Benicio (More Than Ready), Group 2 scorer Romneya (Red Ransom) as well as Group 3 winner Roheryn (Lonhro).
In 2018 Vintage Strike produced a brother to Aim, now named Venting, and he was purchased by Danny O'Brien for $200,000 at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while in 2019 she produced a colt by Arrowfield Stud-based Written Tycoon (Iglesia) and she has most recently been served by Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (High Chaparral).
Star Witness, whose dual Group 1 winning daughter Global Glamour finished second in the 2017 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, has had four lots sell at this week's sale for a total of $860,000 and average of $215,000.
