Star Witness Filly on Track for Inglis Millennium
A $50,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Kelly Schweida from the Widden Stud draft, talented Star Witness filly El Morzillo gained valuable Black Type when finishing a game second on debut in the $200,000 Listed BRC Calaway Gal Stakes last month and was subsequently eased with the Inglis Millennium in mind.
Given a little break while the Magic Millions show unfolded, El Morzillo tuned up with a barrier trial win on January 16 and stepped out at the Sunshine Coast in the $85,000 open juvenile event over 1000m on Saturday.
Ridden by Cejay Graham, she hit the line hard to run straight past the favourite Lead Me On and win by half a length.
El Morzillo finishes best in Race 2 at the @SCTurfClub and gives @CejayGraham1 an early double! 👏@schweidaracing pic.twitter.com/zgLXkKl5Nh
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 27, 2024
Brutal gelding Lead Me On won the $500,000 Magic Millions Debut at his only previous outing, so El Morzillo did a good job to win and her trainer is now thinking Sydney for the promising filly.
“She’s eligible for the Inglis Millennium and at this time of year you get a lot of the two year-olds going to Magic Millions or getting ready for the Golden Slipper and you might only get one or two good ones for that race, so we might get lucky,” said Kelly Schweida.
Bred and sold by Widden, El Morzillo is the first winner for winning Snitzel mare Avocado, a full sister to stakes-winner Spending to Win from imported Group II winning sprinter Madame Trop Vite (IRE).
Widden offered a yearling colt by Zousain from Avocado at Magic Millions in Book 2 and he was not surprisingly snapped up by Kelly Schweida Racing for $110,000. Avocado produced a filly last spring by Dirty Work and was then covered by young Sebring stallion Sejaradan.
