Torque To Be Sure survives protest to win Magic Millions 3YO Guineas

GOLD COAST – Torque To Be Sure’s days as a maiden are over, but while his racing style still needs refining, connections were relieved he got off the mark after surviving a protest in the A$3 million (S$2.58 million) Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at Gold Coast on Jan 17.

Trained by the former Kranji-based Michael Freedman, favourite Ninja was closing in on the leader over the dramatic final stages of the 1,400m.

Having travelled wide from the outside barrier 17, jockey Tommy Berry was forced to make a run down the centre of the course on the son of Farnan.

Torque To be Sure (Ben Melham, $54) had a sufficient break while Ninja was making his run but with 150m to go, but the eventual winner shifted at least four horses off his line and visibly bumped into Ninja and forced Berry to stop riding momentarily.

The stewards noted that in the panel’s opinion, Ninja was inconvenienced by about half a length and despite Berry and Freedman’s objections, the ¾-length margin was seen as enough to dismiss the protest.

In 11 starts, the Matthew Dunn-trained Torque To Be Sure had notched five placings before this win, which took his prize money to A$1.9 million.

“I think we had a fair margin,” Dunn said of the Shamus Award three-year-old’s first win.

Melham thought Torque To Be Sure was still green, but being on the quick back-up from his last-start second in the Sunlight Consolation 3YO Plate (1,100m) on Jan 10 helped.

“He’s not an easy horse to ride,” he said.

“He went off the track a little but he was pretty good today. I ended up in a sweet spot and on the back-up really helped me over 1400m.

“He was pretty dominant. Not a bad effort for a maidener. The ability was never the issue, but it is good to see him break through in this race today.”

Torque To Be Sure was a A$260,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2024.

One race earlier, trainer Ciaron Maher’s Unit Five ($47) powered home in the A$3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1,200m).

The son of Supido was the most inexperienced horse in the field, and is now two-from-two in his short career.

Perfectly steered by Thomas Stockdale, Unit Five proved too strong for stablemate Tornado Valley (Ethan Brown) by one length on the line, with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly By Choice (Jamie Melham) only a short half head back in third.

Unit Five had raced only once previously when he won impressively in December’s Magic Millions Victorian 2YO Classic (1,100m) at Caulfield Heath on debut. Stockdale was in the irons on that occasion and was more than happy to follow his mount up the coast.

A relatively cheap yearling purchase of A$80,000, the win now takes his earnings over the A$1.8 million mark and he looks to have plenty of opportunities to add to that tally.

Maher was full of praise for his team and also his brother Declan, who has his own training facilities on the Gold Coast.

“It all comes down to your team and your staff,” he said.

“My brother Dec, it has been fantastic for him to have a stable here and let me stay in it and utilise his staff and his knowledge. A lot of credit has to go to him.”

Maher was not concerned that Unit Five had only one start before.

“History is history, it is just about presenting the horse,” he said.

“They are only very young and still on the up.”

Maher had full trust in Stockdale getting the job done given he had been involved with his youngster from day one.

“Tommy Stockdale, unbelievable. Beautiful ride, he made the right choices,” said Maher.

“I said to Tom that he probably knows the horse better than I do. I said it is a two-year-old race around the Gold Coast.

“You brake as quick as you can and then you work it out from there.”

The win was extra special for Stockdale, who is expecting his first child.

“My wife back home, she’s heavily pregnant with our first child,” he shared.

“I’ll be home soon, baby. Let’s just hope she wasn’t jumping around too much.”
RACING AND SPORTS