Chef Serves Up a Big Victory

Local Queensland trainer Darryl Hansen has just three 2-year-olds in his stable, but that didn’t stop Hansen and one of those charges, Le Chef (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), from overhauling some of Australian racing’s biggest players in yesterday’s A$2 million Magic Million’s 2YO Classic, the country’s second-richest juvenile event and restricted to Magic Millions sales graduates. 

In the cool hands of apprentice rider Luke Tarrant, Le Chef traveled through the early stages on the heels of the pacesetting Carriages (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}), who had broken sharply from the far outside gate 21 under Tommy Berry and cut across the field to lead. Berry coddled Carriages’ speed for as long as possible and attempted to steal away aboard the Gai Waterhouse charge at the top of the lane, but Le Chef promptly worked his way forward and held off an equally tenacious Pepperano (Aus) (Court Command {Aus}) to score by three-quarters of a length. Le Chef is owned by Lenore Saunders, who therefore collected an additional A$325,000 bonus as the first all-female owned horse across the line as part of the Magic Millions Racing Women’s bonus. Saunders, who purchased Le Chef for A$120,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, enjoyed a A$1.465 million payday. Pepperano, who was bought back for A$1,000 from last year’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, is owned by a partnership of women, who took home the A$100,000 second across the line bonus. 

Saturday, Gold Coast, Australia 
JEEP MAGIC MILLIONS CLASSIC (COND), A$2,000,000, GOL, 1-10, 2yo, 6fT, 1:10.77, gd. 
1–LE CHEF (AUS), 126, g, 2, by Exceed and Excel (Aus) 
1st Dam: Red For Lou (Aus) (G1SP-Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus) 
2nd Dam: Luxapal (Aus), by Kenny’s Best Pal (Aus) 
3rd Dam: Patringa (NZ), by Icelandic (Ire) 
(A$120,000 yrl ‘14 MMGCYS). O-Mrs L M Saunders; 
B-G Hicks (Aus); T-Darryl Hansen; J-Luke Tarrant. 
A$1,140,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, 
A$1,195,700. 
2–Pepperano (Aus), 121, f, 2, Court Command (Aus)– 
Serrano (Aus), by Ferocity (Aus). (A$1,000 RNA yrl 
‘14 MMNAT). O-Mrs M A Carroll, Miss A C Carroll, 
Miss R L Carroll & Mrs L Lilienstein; B-A Carroll (Aus); 
T-Liam Birchley. A$300,000. 
3–Single Gaze (Aus), 121, f, 2, Not a Single Doubt 
(Aus)–Redaluca’s Gaze (Aus), by Intergaze (Aus). 
(A$70,000 yrl ‘14 MMGCYS). O-N Olive, M P Hay, 
D E Tout, W P Oxford, M Notaras, R P Keeley, 
P Kouvelis, N Keeley & Redbank North Pty Ltd; B-J A 
Middleton (Aus); T-Nick Olive. A$150,000. 
Margins: 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 15.00, 30.00, 7.50. 
Also Ran: Madotti (Aus), Perignon (Aus), Wicked Intent (Aus), Claudia Jean (Aus), Carriages (Aus), Surf Seeker (Aus), Saga of the Storm (Aus), Racy (Aus), Frequendly (Aus), Old Trieste (Aus), Zoutenant (Aus), Flamenco (Aus), Miss Idyllic (Aus). Scratched: Flamenco Girl (Aus), Right of Way (Aus), Real Good (Aus), Star of Night (Aus), Wicked Investment (Aus). 

A well-beaten fifth on debut at Doomben Nov. 29, Le Chef soundly turned the tables next out Dec. 24 at Ipswich when partnered with Luke Tarrant for the first time, graduating by 4 1/2 lengths. The bay made it a double a week ago when victorious by a length over this track and trip in handicap company. Riding on equal weights yesterday, Tarrant became just the third apprentice to win this event. 

An emotional Darryl Hansen described his charge’s preparation with just seven days between starts: “He’s had three quick runs,” the conditioner said. “I had him in the paddock for four days [after last Saturday’s win.] We just let him freshen back up. I had a saddle back on him yesterday just to loosen him up. He’s a gem–he’s just so laid back for a baby. I said to the owners, ‘I just can’t wait to get him to the paddock,’ because he’s going to be a better 3-year-old.”