SUN WORSHIPPER WINS THE SHOOT OUT

By Graham Potter | Saturday, January 3, 2026

The Magic Millions Shoot Out, contested over 2100m at Eagle Farm offered the winner a Magic Millions Wildcard exemption into the $1 million Magic Millions Subzero at the Gold Coast on January 17 … and it was the Matt Kropp trained Sun Worshipper ($6.50) who picked up that ticket under a strong ride from Emily Lang.

The chestnut mare was rock hard fit, having her seventh run in the last two months (which included her previous win over 2000m at Doomben on December 6) and that played to her full advantage over the closing stages where she was simply too strong for the old-timer, the nine-year-old Warp Speed ($18), a seventy-race veteran who put in his usual solid effort.

The speed in the first half of the race was pretty brutal with Kalukoi, the $9 stable companion to the race favourite Walsh Bay ($3.50) storming down the back straight, stretching the field out to the extent that it was close to fifteen lengths from first to last.

Going through the 1400m a group of runners including Walsh Bay … who had tried to press forward early to get closer, but gave up that fight … … Sun Worshipper and Warp Speed were all four to five lengths adrift the lonely runner in sixth place who, in turn, was a little over seven lengths behind the free-running Kalukoi.

This trailing group was almost in a different post-code.

But, just before the start of the sweep to the home turn those backmarkers moved up to join the main group. In the middle of the sweep to the home turn Kalukoi still led, but now only eight lengths covered the field back to Sun Worshipper who was racing in last place, just behind Warp Speed.

Approaching the 600m, Lang started getting busy on the Kropp trained runner, sending Sun Worshipper forward, racing five wide, and the daughter of Sun City straightened still with plenty to do but seemingly keen to get on with it.

After Sun Worshipper initially wanted to move in behind Warp Speed, Lang managed to switch her mount out into clear running and Sun Worshipper then started to go through his gears with meaning.

A concentrated effort got Sun Worshipper into the lead with a little over 100m left to run, but Warp Speed, who had never been far away from Sun Worshipper in the run, was also putting in a strong effort along the inside of Sun Worshipper.

These two runners matched strides briefly, but Sun Worshipper, who enjoyed a 2kg advantage at the weights with Warp Speed, found the extra required to edge away from his only danger to score well.

The favourite Walsh Bay finished third without ever threatening to have a major say in the outcome.

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