Unit Five books Gold Coast trip

MELBOURNE – Unit Five has stamped his credentials for the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast with his debut win at Caulfield on Dec 20.

The Ciaron Maher-trained two-year-old colt took out the A$250,000 (S$213,000) Magic Millions Victorian 2YO Classic (1,100m) and is now qualified to compete in the Jan 17 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1,200m) on the Gold Coast.

Sent out as the $9 favourite under Thomas Stockdale, Unit Five scored a 2¼-length victory from the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Ko Phangan (John Allen), while Invincible Son (Jamie Melham) finished a further 1¼ lengths away in third for trainer Robbie Griffiths.

Maher said it was an easy watch as the son of Supido dispatched his rivals, which came after he won a 800m jump-out at Cranbourne just five days ago on Dec 15.

“I’m just rapt in the horse’s progression,” he said.

“We normally wouldn’t trial them that close, but he seems to find things easy.

“I can’t thank my team enough. I think that’s our fourth pre-Christmas two-year-old winner for the year, so the system is working very well and I’m very thankful for them as at this time of year, the two-year-olds is what it’s all about.”

Maher said he saw no reason why Unit Five – named after former stud manager David Merricks who died in 2024 after having worked at Widden Stud for more than 30 years – could not head to the Gold Coast in four weeks and be competitive in the Magic Millions feature worth A$3 million.

He already has Tornado Valley, who won the Group 3 Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1,000m) second-up on Nov 4, aimed at the race.

Although Maher said the son of Too Darn Hot was likely to be the No. 1 seed, but he added that Unit Five deserves his chance too.

“This bloke, timing wise, we thought we could then send him to Sydney and then he would be on the right leg for the Millions, but we’ll see how he comes through,” he said.

“He’s just so professional and I loved the way he presented and behaved himself in the yard.

“He was very calm behind the gates. He bounced and made Tom’s job pretty easy.

“Tom had a good winner for us the other day and he’s starting to make a habit of it, so it’s good to be associated with him.”

Stockdale scored aboard Maher’s Warnie in the A$1 million The Supernova (1,400m) at Pakenham on Dec 13.

He was impressed with the way Unit Five went about his work after riding the colt on Dec 15.

“I didn’t let him off the chain too much at Cranbourne bearing in mind this was a possibility,” said Stockdale.

“It was great to see him extend off the bridle, which I hadn’t seen before, and he will improve.

“He’s still very raw, still very ‘looky’, but he has the natural talent to progress into a nice horse.”

Trained by Bevan Laming, Gin A Tonic ($15) completed a hat-trick of wins after he took out the A$175,000 Magic Millions Victorian 3YO and 4YO Classic (1,200m) under apprentice Logan Bates.

The Better Than Ready four-year-old scored an easy three-length victory from Steel Move (Melham) with outsider Volatile (Luke Cartwright) another length away in third.

Bates, who also rode Gin A Tonic to victory in the Hertz Geoff Whiffin Sprint (1,000m) at Cranbourne on Nov 22, said Gin A Tonic’s third win on the trot was better than his last two.

Gin A Tonic had Ethan Brown in the saddle at his second-last start when he landed the Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge Series 1 Final (955m) at Moonee Valley on Oct 24.

“The query was going up to the 1,200m but when he didn’t get that much pressure early, I was able to rate him,” said Bates.

“He’s a very bold mover and off the corner, I had to wake him up a little bit as he wobbled off, but I balanced him up, he switched legs and once I gave him a reminder, he was good.

“I was able to have a look at the big screen and what he was able to do that to that sort of field, it was a good feeling.

“It’s great for the Laming crew. They’ve got a quality sprinter on their hands.”

Bates said he had not spoken to Laming, or his son Richard, about plans for Gin A Tonic, but he does not see why the sprinter should not head to the Gold Coast in January 2026.

“I’m sure it’s in their thoughts, but I haven’t spoken to Richie yet,” he said.

“He’s big, he’s strong, he can make his own luck and when he puts them to bed like that, he’s a smart horse.

“He burns around the rail and I’m only a passenger. He does the rest and I’m happy to be associated with him.” RACING AND SPORTS