Kia Ora’s Musandam heading to Magic Millions for ‘unfinished business’

Impressive Maribyrnong Trial winner Musandam will be aimed at the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, with her owner Kia Ora Stud electing to target January’s rich juvenile feature on the Gold Coast.

A meeting on Tuesday between Kia Ora decisionmakers determined that the powerfully built Snitzel filly, who won on debut at Flemington for trainer John McArdle last Saturday, would head interstate after a brief let-up.

A $470,000 three-quarter sister to Group 1 South Australian Derby-winning filly Qafila, Musandam will head to Queensland before Christmas with the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes a probable lead-up to the January 16 feature.

“Everyone’s on the same page, so it’s good. Shane (Wright, Kia Ora general manager) said to me, ‘I know you’re a Victorian, but what do you want to do here?’ And I said, ‘no, I’m keen for it to go to the Magic Millions (rather than the Blue Diamond),” Kia Ora racing manager Luke Wilkinson told The Straight.

“Maybe there’s a little bit of unfinished business after Warwoven this year.”

The Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven, a winner of the Group 1 Golden Rose last month, was scratched from this year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic as favourite when Queensland Racing Integrity Commission veterinarians ruled the colt was lame.