Twisted Steel has roared away with the Magic Millions 3YO Trophy in a commanding performance, delivering a red-letter day for local stallion Rommel and completing a double for the sire across both Magic Millions races. The gelding's emphatic victory in the 1200-metre three-year-old feature at Ascot on Saturday showcased his emerging talent and fulfilled the high expectations of his connections.
A Commanding Performance on the Track
Jumping well from the gates, jockey Clint Johnston-Porter quickly positioned the $2.70 favourite in a trailing role behind the pacesetters. The gelding latched onto the back of Heeza Phoenix, who started at $4.40, maintaining a three-wide position before sliding four wide at the 500-metre mark.
Once on top of the leaders, Twisted Steel unleashed a powerful burst of acceleration at the 200-metre point, taking lengths out of his opposition with a decisive move. Hubble's Dragon at $20 and Country God at $17 gave vain pursuit but remained in the winner's wake as Simon Miller's brilliant galloper saluted by two clear lengths.
Trainer's Insight and Future Plans
Trainer Simon Miller revealed that the gelding's immaturity had previously held him back from reaching the upper echelon of racing, but recent improvements had signaled his readiness for this level of competition. "Clint came into the mounting yard, and I said, 'he's improved again', so he got pretty excited," Miller explained after the race.
The top trainer elaborated on the challenges of preparing the eight-start newcomer, noting that the summer carnival environment had initially proven overwhelming. "I think it was all too much with the summer carnival; he was revving too high pre-race and not chilled," Miller said. "I probably had to up the work on him behind the scenes. The staff have done a great job with him as well. He's hard work but now he's really starting to settle."
Big Race Ambitions Revealed
Miller flagged significant future targets for the promising galloper, whose raw talent has long been recognized by his stable. "I always thought he'd be in the Winterbottom as a three-year-old and it was just all too soon for him," the trainer revealed, referencing one of Western Australia's premier sprint races.
Regarding immediate plans, Miller indicated a patient approach: "I don't know if the Quokka is even too much for him now. I'll probably just give him a break and let the dust settle. He'll end up in the Winterbottom in the spring, no doubt. He's got that really sharp acceleration and he's tough."
Jockey's Confidence and Strategic Ride
Clint Johnston-Porter executed a perfectly timed ride on the popular galloper, who had been backed from as much as $3.40 down following an emphatic triumph at his most recent start. In that previous race, Johnston-Porter had deliberately shut down the gelding in the late stages, preserving his energy for the Magic Millions feature.
"I just looked after him knowing he was coming to this race. It probably looked a bit cocky, but I just knew what I had in the tank," Johnston-Porter explained after Saturday's victory. "Once I lobbed where I ended up in running, I thought, 'oh, this is all over'. I idled up outside of Heeza Phoenix and got past him, so I started looking over my shoulder. But I had the win easy."
Patience Rewarded with Performance
The gun hoop echoed Miller's sentiments about the horse's raw potential, suggesting that the weekend's effort represented the culmination of exercised patience with the developing galloper. "From the day I sat on him, Simon has always had a massive opinion of this horse," Johnston-Porter said.
Reflecting on the journey to this breakthrough victory, the jockey added: "He's been a little bit disappointing down the road, but maybe we just needed to wait a little bit longer with him." The win marked a significant milestone for both horse and connections, validating their faith in the gelding's ability to compete at feature race level.
A Red-Letter Day for Local Breeding
The victory provided particular satisfaction for connections of local stallion Rommel, who achieved the rare feat of siring winners in both Magic Millions races on the program. Twisted Steel's performance not only highlighted the quality of Western Australian breeding but also demonstrated the successful development of young talent within the state's racing industry.
The comprehensive nature of the victory, combined with the ambitious future plans outlined by trainer Simon Miller, suggests that Twisted Steel may develop into one of Western Australia's leading sprint prospects as he continues to mature and settle into his racing career.
