Unit Five powers home in the 2026 Magic Millions Classic

Posted by RS NewsWire at 6:33pm on January 17th

Unit Five announced himself as a rising star with a powerful victory in the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, overcoming far more seasoned rivals despite limited race experience.

The Ciaron Maher-trained colt, ridden confidently by Thomas Stockdale, held off Tornado Valley by a length, with By Choice finishing just behind in third.

Remarkably, the Supido colt had only raced once prior to Saturday’s feature, winning on debut at Caulfield, yet handled the step up in class with ease.

Bought for just $80,000 as a yearling, his earnings now exceed $1.8 million following the Gold Coast triumph.

Maher praised the collective effort behind the win, particularly that of his brother Declan.

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

“Dec’s set-up here has been fantastic and we’ve been able to use that to our advantage.”

The trainer said the colt’s inexperience was never a concern.

“They’re still very young horses and still improving,” he said.

“It’s about having them ready on the day.”

Maher also paid tribute to Stockdale’s ride.

“Tommy was outstanding. He made all the right calls and knew the horse well.”

The victory carried special significance for Stockdale with his first child due shortly.

“My wife’s back home heavily pregnant,” Stockdale said.

“I’ll be home soon — hopefully she didn’t get too excited watching.”

Form students and punters can continue tracking Magic Millions form through trusted betting platforms.

The post Unit Five powers home in Magic Millions Classic first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

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