Bauhinia stakes Magic Millions Guineas claims

Lee Curtis has compared Bauhinia favourably to multiple Group One winner Private Steer after the lightly raced filly produced a whirlwind finish to claim a Magic Millions feature at Wyong, cementing her passage to the Gold Coast next month.

Curtis prepared Private Steer early in her career and indicated Bauhinia, who stormed home from last to win Wednesday’s Magic Millions Wyong 3YO and 4YO Stakes (1200m), was showing similar potential at the same stage.

“This takes me back to when I had Private Steer at the start. She’s exceptional,” said Curtis, who trains in partnership with his wife Cherie.

“I thought we were no hope. I thought if we get home and run past a few, that would be good.

“She picked them up so quickly.

“We know she is really good. I said to connections, ‘we are probably a little bit inexperienced, but we’ve got massive X-factor’.”

A daughter of smart stallion Hellbent, Bauhinia underlined her promise with a closing sixth in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) in the spring and was first-up at Wyong.

Tommy Berry has ridden her in all four career starts and believes she is the right type of horse for next month’s Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast, albeit he expects her to continue to improve as she matures.

“She is a good filly. She is just not a 1200-metre filly, 1400 at the Gold Coast should suit us though,” Berry said.

Bauhinia ($2.90) overhauled The Novelist ($2.60 fav) to score by a neck with Queen Of The Mile ($5) another half-length away third.

Bookmakers reacted by tightening her from $26 into $8 for the Magic Millions Guineas, behind only $6 favourite Snitzanova.