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The Horse Report Rush Hour wins inaugural Magic Millions race, The Debut

from The Horse Report February 2023 edition

from The Horse Report February 2023 edition, page 48

The Horse Report

Supplied by MAGIC MILLIONS

In the new race for two-year-olds staged exclusively for eligible Magic Millions first starters, the Nathan Doyle-trained Russian Revolution colt made the perfect start to his career, edging out Peter and Paul Snowden's Capitalist colt Getty in a drive to the line. The race in January was delayed by almost an hour while stewards and jockeys inspected the deteriorating Gold Coast track, which was downgraded to a Heavy 10 after the first race. Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle said the $300,000 payday was a dream result for a horse that connections had initially attempted to target at the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

He said he wasn't surprised with how well his colt handled the delay.

"He's shown us so much talent from day dot and my only worry was that after his second trial we thought he might be looking for 1100m or 1200m first-up," Doyle said.

"I just had to leave him fresh because we didn't want to train him off or send him down for the 900m trip."

"It was a perfect ride by Koby and it's good for the Calibre Racing boys, it's the first ever yearling they've ever bought as a syndication group and they've won here.

"I was actually watching every horse melt out the back there and he was just asleep so that's the way he took it in and I grew in confidence with the delay."

"It's what you dream of, you buy these yearlings to hopefully be back here in 12 months' time - ideally it would've been in the bigger race (2YO Classic) but he just had a little setback and we had to back off him."

For winning jockey Koby Jennings, the victory came courtesy of his only ride on the card and he believes the colt has plenty of upside. "He's a very nice colt, he's very professional and he's always been that way," Jennings said. "Setting him for a race like this was always going to suit just because of how professional he is and obviously he's got the ability to go with it.

"We do get the feel that he'll want that little bit further in the not too distant future."

Rush Hour was purchased by NSW-based syndicator Calibre Racing and Nathan Doyle for $130,000 out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is from the second draft of Newgate's resident stallion Russian Revolution, whose yearlings have sold up to $360,000 at this week's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Connections of Getty pocketed $90,000 for their colt running second, while the fast-finishing Storm The Ramparts collected $45,000 in third.

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