In what can only be described as remarkable, six pups from the same litter will contest the Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden Final at Wentworth Park on April 20.
Six littermates from the Barcia Bale-Chica Destacada mating, ran in Wednesday night’s four semi-finals of the Magic Maiden, and incredibly all six advanced to the final.
Timeless Moment, trained by Kerry Drynan, whose mother Doreen trained Chica Destacada, was the fastest of the six to qualify, with the other quintet – Really Unreal, Blanco Caliente, Dreamin’ Is Free, Making A Memory and Blue Summer Sky, all trained by John Finn and his wife Minnie.
The Finns have regularly had four littermates from Chica Destacada’s first litter, to Fernando Bale – Poco Dorado, Two Times Twice, Veloce Nero and Blue Moon Rising - engaged and racing successfully together in staying feature events at Wentworth Park, but this even surpasses that.
It also has added a few dollars to the likely price tags of three pups from Chica Destacada’s the next litter, a return mating with Fernando Bale, which will be offered at the inaugural Gold Muzzle Auction to be held at Richmond on June 23.
“It’s awesome hey, another little notch on Chica’s belt. Six into the final. We are very proud,” said Kerry.
Timeless Moment showed great improvement off her heat performance where she ran 30.69s, clocking 30.14s and leading throughout from the eight box.
“I was happy to see her out in the eight and I thought if she could step away, she would be a good chance. It’s only her second time in a field, so hopefully we will see some further improvement next week.”
Making A Memory struck trouble early and was dragged down, but showed great tenacity to battle on and finish second, albeit nine lengths adrift of her litter sister.
A huge run last week saw Really Unreal go to the boxes as a warm favourite in the opening heat, and she didn’t disappoint her supporters, jumping well off the eight, putting herself into a good spot then powering away for the win in 30.34s.
Blanco Caliente, the fastest of the heat winners seven days ago when she posted 29.96s, was last at the post the first time, but produced a strong finish to run into second and snatch her place in the final.
Penrose trainer Mark Suttle will have one of his biggest thrills in the sport when he boxes His Ticking the $25,000 to the winner final.
His Ticking jumped straight to the lead and refused to be run down winning in 30.21s, with Dreamin’ Is Free ran home strongly to snatch second from My Bro’s Ethics by a half head.
Mark’s daughter Casey explained after win that they felt His Ticking was short of a run in the heats when he finished second to Midnight Magpie after leading until the shadows of the post, so they gave the son of Barcia Bale and Lover’s Quarrel a run during the week and the results were that he kept on running this week, right into a Group 3 final.
Shayne Fleming knows what it’s like to win a feature at Easter. Four years ago he won the Ultra Sense on Golden Easter Egg Final night at Wentworth Park, and on Wednesday night her son Flash Mulcher led throughout in 30.29s to give Fleming another finalist on Easter Egg night this year.
“It’s great to have another finalist for one of these big races,” he said. “His mother won the Ultra Sense, and when I saw him front around that first turn I thought happy days.”
For the second successive heat, a Chica Destacada pup rattled home and snatched a place in the final, with Blue Summer Sky nabbing second from Non Plussed, again by a half head.
Really Unreal drew the rails for the final, His Ticking the two, Blue Summer Sky box three, Making A Memory box four, Dreamin’ Is Free the five, Blanco Caliente box six, Timeless Moment box seven and Flash Mulcher drew the outside box. The two reserves are My Bro’s Ethics and Non Plussed.
Five heats of the Group 3 New Sensation were also conducted at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night, and the star was Dennis Barnes-trained Nangar Diva.
Last Saturday night Nangar Diva contested the heats of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg, and fell heavily on the first turn. On Wednesday night she showed she had taken no harm from the fall, bouncing out of box eight, and carving out a slick 29.55s.
Another impressive winner was Ray Smith’s Feral Franky who, despite being slowly away, and being last at the post the first time, railed through and took the lead heading out of the back straight, racing away to score easily in a fast 29.75s.
Other heats winners were King Cratos (29.67s), Cee Jay’s Boy (30.05s), and Boxcar Bella (30.41s), with the fastest three second placegetters - Campini, Twice As Wise, and Cawborne Marty - also through to the $25,000 to the winner final.
