The connections of Love Laughing are doing just that, all the way to the bank, after the filly won the $50,000 QTIS 600 bonus Bollinger Champagne Hcp (1200m) at Doomben.
The two-year-old was given a perfect ride by apprentice Mitchell Wood to grab a narrow win for his master and trainer Troy Hall.
The daughter of Falvelon was strongly backed from $9 to $7.50 on the back of her good first-up second on debut at the Sunshine Coast on November 27.
Love Laughing was beaten a neck when a $3.20 chance behind Antarctic Dream.
Today, Wood settled Love Laughing third on the fence behind first starter Sundiata Flyer, who was given a soft time in front by jockey Paul Hammersley.
The well fancied Anikintime settled outside the leader while race favourite Congo settled sixth the fence.
The race turned into a sprint home from the 350m when Sundiata Flyer kicked up.
Wood had ridden for luck and got it when a gap on the fence appeared.
Love Laughing hit the front inside the final 100m with Congo running on well for second and Anikintime holding third.
Both Congo and Seastra (fourth) made good ground in a race not suited to those at the back.
Seastra had settled in last three while Congo was held up until they sprinted at the top of the straight.
What anyone can really make of the race heading into the Magic Millions is questionable.
A slowly run race on a heavy track is unlikely to mirror the $2m Magic Millions Classic on January 14.
Hall’s wife Kym bred Love Laughing and decided to retain her when passed in at the QTIS 600 Magic Millions sale in March.
“She’s the first horse Kim has bred and raced and we still have 40 per cent of her which is good,” Hall said.
“I wanted $30,000 for her but she only fetched $22,000 so we passed her in.”
Hall has never saddled a Magic Millions Classic contender and is unsure whether he’ll give the youngster her chance.
“I’ve never had a runner in the race so far and if she runs she’ll probably be 100-1,” he said.
“She’s eligible for the Magic Millions but I might save her for the QTIS races instead.”
Love Laughing is the first foal from the dam Davone Pheroz, a Sea Road mare related to former great miler Super Impose.
Today’s race carried a $42,000 QTIS 600 bonus on top of the $32,000 first prize of which Love Laughing was eligible.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | LOVE LAUGHING | Troy Hall | Mitchell Wood (a3) | 5 | 55kg (cd 53.5kg) | $7.50 | |
| 2 | 2 | CONGO | Matthew Dunn | Ric McMahon | 0.2L | 1 | 57kg | $2.80F |
| 3 | 1 | ANIKINTIME | Bryan Guy | Chris Munce | 1L | 10 | 57kg | $6.50 |
| 4 | 10 | SEASTRA | Bryan Guy | Jim Byrne | 1.1L | 6 | 54kg | $8 |
| 5 | 5 | COURTZ BOY | Helen Page | Ryan Wiggins | 2.9L | 2 | 55.5kg | $15 |
| 6 | 8 | SUNDIATA FLYER | Darryl Hansen | Paul Hammersley | 3.1L | 8 | 54.5kg | $17 |
| 7 | 7 | OFFENSE | John P Thompson | Scott Galloway | 5.6L | 3 | 54.5kg | $6 |
| 8 | 9 | TRANSONIC | John P Thompson | Timothy Bell (a1.5) | 8.1L | 4 | 54.5kg (cd 53kg) | $13 |
| 9 | 3 | AVANCE | Noel J Doyle | Brad Stewart | 11.6L | 7 | 56kg | $9 |
| 10 | 4 | CANNINGLY | Liam Birchley | Glen Colless | 14.1L | 9 | 56kg | $8 |
