Widden Sell Magic Millions 2YO Classic Winner

The $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic provided a fairytale win for Mt Isa owner Lenore Saunders and her talented Exceed and Excel gelding Le Chef, a $120,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Widden Stud draft.

Prepared at the Sunshine Coast by Darryl Hansen, Le Chef has been flying under the radar scoring easy wins at Ipswich and the Gold Coast at his most recent runs following a debut fifth to Magic Millions favourite Wicked Intent at the end of November.

Ridden a treat by up and coming jockey Luke Tarrant, Le Chef came with a powerful late burst to beat bargain priced filly Pepperano by three-quarters of a length in the 1200 metre feature.

“He’s just a lovely horse,” said Tarrant.

“He got lost his first run and then they put blinkers on him and he’s done everything right since then.”

Le Chef has won three of four starts earning $1,199,200 and claiming the women’s owner bonus as well for Lenore Saunders, who has been a big supporter of Hansen.

“The last two weeks have been tough trying to get this horse here, we got balloted out once and then we had to run twice in two weeks, but he’s a gem of a horse,” Hansen said.

“The Saunders’ have put a lot of money into the game so it’s good to see them get a win like this. They could have given this horse to anyone, but they gave him to me.

“I’m over the moon, I’ve never experienced anything like this.”

Bred by South Australian breeder Greg Hicks and consigned for sale on his behalf by Widden, Le Chef is the third winner from three foals to race from Group I placed mare Red for Lou, who is by Testa Rossa, winner of the 1999 MM Two Year Old Classic.

He is the second MM Classic winner sold by Widden, who also put the polish on the 2012 winner Driefontein for Bylong Park Thoroughbreds.