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David Mourad admits he ignored the obvious when he purchased boom unbeaten juvenile Unite And Conquer for $85,000 on behalf of Blueblood Thoroughbreds at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
While his late sire Hinchinbrook has been a good 2YO producer, the physical presence of Unite And Conquer went he entered the sale run did not stamp as an early runner.
"Hinchinbrook can get a two-year-old but he was a big solid horse,” Mourad said of his first impression of Unite And Conquer.“Those bigger horses can take time - it’s the neater, nippier types that get up as early two-year-olds – but we liked a lot about him and figured he was going to get every chance.
"There's a 1000 horses at that January sale so to get a runner in the two-year-old race is a big thing. To think that we’ve got one who is a leading chance, we are very excited.”
He is showing a brand of speed that belies his robust build and has made him favourite for next month’s $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.
Unite And Conquer is the fourth Wyong Magic Millions winner trained by Gai Waterhouse and her first in partnership with Adrian Bott, who says the colt has been a superior runner from day one in much the same way as the stable’s former juvenile stars Pierro, Vancouver and Sebring.“He is showing all the same qualities as all those special colts," Bott said. "He's a big, imposing type, muscle on muscle, but he's a real speed horse and he's got a fantastic attitude.”
Unite And Conquer will now attempt to join Karuta Queen, Unencumbered and Capitalist as winners of the Wyong and Gold Cost Magic Millions double, a result that will further elevate the demand for the 26 yearlings by Hinchinbrook in the January sale.Hinchinbrook, himself a precocious juvenile, died in July at Yarraman Park Stud after he fractured a hind leg in a walking machine accident.
A Fastnet Rock three-quarter brother to champion sire Sniztel, Hinchinbook was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park and returned to stand there for seven season after his successful racing career.He won his first two starts as a 2YO including the G3 Skyline Stakes and was the first colt in the Golden Slipper of his year when fourth to Crystal Lily.
He went on to be G1 placed in the ATC Sires Produce Stakes, All Aged Stakes, Oakleigh Plate and William Reid Stakes before being injured in the UK while preparing for Royal Ascot.Crowned Australia's champion first season sire in 2014-15, Hinchinbrook has produced 17 individual stakes winners among more than 180 winners including the G1 winners Press Statement and Seabrook, another success story for Blueblood Thoroughbreds.
Unite And Conquer (Hinchinbrook x Maglissa by Magnus) was purchased by his Waterhouse and Boot with Blueblood Thoroughbreds for $80,000 from the Musk Creek draft last January and has amassed $191,750 prizemoney from his two wins.
He is the first foal out of the three-time winner Maglissa, dam of So You Think youngster to be at next month’s Gold Coast sale.Unite And Conquer’s second dam Danglissa won the G1 Flight Stakes and has produced six winners including Meduesa (Fusaichi Pegasus) and Redeeming Lass (Red Ransom), the dam of G3 winner Sweet Redemption (Snitzel).
It was Hinchinbrook’s day at Wyong as he is also the sire of the Magic Millions 3 & 4YO Stakes Problem Solver.The Gerald Ryan-trained mare is the third winner by Hinchinbrook of that event, joining Flippant and Wild Heart.
Problem Solver (Hinchinbrook x Sweet Revenge by Justice Prevails) was a $160,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy in 2016 by trainer Gerald Ryan with David Raphael's Stallion Racing Australia.A winner of the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden Plate on the Gold Coast last January, she now has two wins and seven placings from 11 starts for $291,410 prizemoney.
Problem Solver is one of four winners from the stakes-placed mare Sweet Revenge, a half-sister to Listed winner Coin Collection (Penny Red).
