Madotti grips on to win $1 million Magic Millions Open

Madotti
Matthew Dunn scored his biggest success when Madotti took out the $1 million Magic Millions Open on Saturday

TRAINER Matthew Dunn continued his great run of form when talented four-year-old Madotti held on to win the $1 million Magic Millions Open at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The daughter of Falvelon settled just off the speed with Sydney-based jockey Tye Angland in the saddle, before powering to the lead in the straight.

The race looked parceled in the closing stages until In His Stride flashed at it late, but Madotti ($5.10 at Bet365) got the nod from the judges to secure its career highlight.

“It’s fantastic,” Dunn said. “There’s no more deserved horse to win a decent race than Madotti.

“She’s been plagued by bad luck for a long time and really great to see her get the job done today.”

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Madotti drew barrier four which allowed Angland to find a good spot in running behind Miss Cover Girl which was low-flying around the turn, but whilst Dunn wasn’t expecting to see it in front so early, he was pleased with the ride.

“She was (owed a win),” he said. “Finally she’s drawn a decent gate, I was a little bit surprised to see us in front, but it was a very well judged ride by Tye just let the leader go on straightening and got to the outside.

“He (Angland) made the right choice, he let Miss Cover Girl go on straightening and got to her outside which we needed to do and when we sort of came around the corner together I thought ‘this isn’t any good’ but he got to the right part of the track and she did the rest.”

Madotti was an $80,000 purchase from the Gold Coast Magic Millions March Yearling Sale in 2014 and prior to Saturday’s win it had amounted over $420,000 in prize money.

“We’ve been through a building process and when we bought her for $80,000 as a yearling it was pretty gutsy stuff given her pedigree,” Dunn said.

“She’d be the best I’ve trained in terms of honesty. Every time you walk past her in the stables she’ll give you a whinny and she’s a real pleasure to train.”

The four-year-old, which is raced out of Dunn’s stable in Murwillumbah, was a winner of the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate in 2015 which is a key lead-in to the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.

Madotti ultimately finished fifth in the Guineas behind the Darren Weir-trained Mahuta and Dunn will get his chance to secure one of the major prizes on Saturday when he lines up both Saxton Rock and Arrestar ($151 at CrownBet) in the 2YO Guineas.

“She (Madotti) was pretty stiff not to win the two-year-old Classic and also the Guineas last year. There’s no more deserving winner than her,” Dunn said.

“Today she finally drew a decent alley, had a sweet run and everything fell into place.”

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