Celestial Dragon, with Timothy Bell onboard, runs away to win at Doomben. Source: Mark Calleja / News Limited
STUART Kendrick is Queensland's best bargain hunter.
While millions will be splashed on some of the country's best-bred horses at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale this week, Kendrick will once again bide his time.
The Sunshine Coast trainer prepares the cheapest horse in this Saturday's $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic current field.
Celestial Dragon has already recouped his $10,000 price tag more than 11 times over but that shouldn't come as a surprise.
The fact is Kendrick has been turning cheap yearlings into topline racehorses for years.
Kendrick will have four runners on Magic Millions day this Saturday and the quartet have easily recovered their modest price tags already.
He paid $50,000 for the lot of them and Doubtfilly, Avaladyluck, Sept De Coeurs and Celestial Dragon have already amassed more than $1 million between them.
Avaladyluck ($2,500) and Doubtfilly ($17,500) have produced the best returns to date and they have recouped their purchase prices more than 79 and 38 times respectively.
But Celestial Dragon will shoot to the top of that list if he claims the $1.4 million first prize cheque in the carnival's feature race this Saturday.
When asked what his secret was, Kendrick insisted it was simply hard work and a bit of patience.
"I do a fair bit of homework on them and then try and buy a horse I think can be a Group 1 winner and fit it into a cheap budget," he said.
"It can be frustrating sometimes because you can find some really nice horses you like and they go for too much money. You do need patience and sometimes you just need a bit of good luck as well.
"But if you buy a nice horse with a good pedigree then you're half a chance."
Fellow trainer Liam Birchley is hoping his Magic Millions luck might have finally turned with the prospect of Sagatona making the field on Thursday.
The trainer has a masterful record with early two-year-olds, most of the time with cheap horses, but Magic Millions day has been more nightmare than fairytale.
Birchley and owner Judy Clairs are sweating on the Mick Price-trained Nordic Empire being an official scratching, which would put first emergency Sagatona into the field.
Nordic Empire is having ultrasound treatment for muscular soreness in his near hind leg and stewards said he was "in grave doubt" of running.
Trainer Mick Price conceded Wednesday afternoon he doesn't expect Nordic Empire to take his place in the field.
If Sagatona gets a run, it will give Birchley two chances, with last-start Ipswich winner Ruby Soho already in.
"I would like to think it's a good omen if Sagatona gets in," Birchley said.
"Not only that, but both sets of connections have had beaten favourites in the race previously."
Ruby Soho is raced by a team headed up by Meredith Carroll, who was a part-owner of Paprika, a close second to Phelan Ready in 2009.
Clairs also races Missy Longstocking, who ran third last year.
Sagatona, a daughter of Real Saga who failed to reach a modest $5000 reserve last year, trialled brilliantly in blinkers last Thursday
The trainer has a masterful record with early two-year-olds, most of the time with cheap horses, but Magic Millions day has been more nightmare than fairytale.
Birchley and owner Judy Clairs are sweating on Nordic Empire being an official scratching today, which would put first emergency Sagatona into the field.
Nordic Empire is undergoing ultra sound treatment for muscular soreness in his near hind leg and stewards said he was "in grave doubt" of running.
Trainer Mick Price conceded yesterday afternoon he doesn't expect Nordic Empire to take his place in the field.
If Sagatona gets a run, it will give Birchley two chances, with last start Ipswich winner Ruby Soho already in.
"I would like to think it's a good omen if Sagatona gets in," Birchley said. "Not only that, but both sets of connections have had beaten favourites in the race previously."
Ruby Soho is raced by a team headed up by Meredith Carroll, who was a part-owner of Paprika, a close second to Phelan Ready in 2009.
Clairs also races Missy Longstocking, who ran third last year. Sagatona, a daughter of Real Saga who failed to reach a modest $5000 reserve last year, trialled brilliantly in blinkers last Thursday.
"They say the breed are real blinker horses and she raced a bit patchy last start. You had to like what she did in the trial," Birchley said.
Real Saga's other Millions runner, Stroak, will also have blinkers for the first time on Saturday. Notably, the stallion's MM winner from 12 months ago, Real Surreal, also raced in the shades.
Birchley thinks Ruby Soho is sure to run well off barrier two.
"I'm pleased I went the way I did in going to Ipswich now," he said. "It was a bit of a risk, but she scraped into the field and I've put winkers on this time.
"She looked to be in a bit of trouble at Ipswich, but ended up coming away to win easily. She's desperate for 1200m."
While Price is resigned to Nordic Empire missing out on Saturday, he still rates himself a genuine contender with last start Wyong runner-up Geromayo.
Like Sagatona, Geromayo is bidding to join Phelan Ready and Dancer's Joy as the only "maidens" to win a Magic Millions 2YO.
But Geromayo has improved with every run and Price has a good barometer in race favourite Unencumbered, after finishing second to him at Wyong.
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