LES ROSS EYES THE BIG MILLIONS PRIZE

By Graham Potter | Monday, January 10, 2022

The Mishani brand will have a prominent presence in the field for the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic which will be contested over 1200m at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Trainer Les Ross has qualified three horses for the Classic for Mishani Enterprises Principal Mike Crooks … with Mishani Spartan stunning both his opposition and punters with his barnstorming storming finish last Saturday, coming from so far back anyone would have thought he couldn’t win, to become the third ‘Mishani’ runner to make the final field after Mishani Warfare and Mishani Persuasion.

“The impression (created by Mishani’s Spartan’s effort) might have been exaggerated by the strength of the field really because they did run nearly a second slower than the fillies race,” said Ross, “but it was a big effort … and certainly an improved from Ipswich.”

“Maybe the blinkers were the saviour. Jackson Morris rode him at Ipswich. John Thompson, who trained a lot of Husson’s progeny at Patinack when he was there, rang Jackson Morris and said that they improve panels with blinkers, so we opted to put them on … and, yeah, he certainly improved.

“Going in I was hoping he could run second. Halfway up the straight I definitely didn’t think he could win. I’m obviously pleased he did, and it is nice to have three runners in the Millions.”

With the number of two-year-olds Ross has been working with, it has been a long, never easy, sorting out process to get to this stage.

“I started with thirty,” said Ross. “Out of the thirty we had a short list of three or four horses sired by The Mission. I was really keen to get The Missions up and running because of the Aquis bonus that’s on offer for winning with them. It’s a $100 000 bonus for a Metropolitan win … and we were lucky enough to snare a few of those.

“Mike (Crooks) sent me a list of horses he had paid up for the Magic Millions. As it got closer, we had horses nominated everywhere. We were trying to get them runs to try and get the results we needed to get them to the Magic Millions.

“I just had to give them all their chance. Mishani Spartan, for example, wasn’t one of my fancied ones, but they sort themselves out and he was really a pleasant surprise.

“I really would like to see Mishani Warfare win the Classic. The first prize of $1.1 million is huge … but there is a further million reasons why I want Mishani Warfare to win. Aquis (who stands The Mission) puts up a $100 000 bonus if we can win one in town with a two-year-old by the Mission.

"The bonus is $1 million if you win the Millions!

“I take any of them winning, but, out of the three horses if Mishani Warfare could win, I’ll be doing backflips.

“Interestingly enough, Mike bought ten yearlings for me … and I couldn’t one of them into the race. All of the three that got in, he bred himself.

“Whatever happens it is exciting … and it is pleasing as well, because Mike tips a lot into the game and I owe him more than he owes me.”

For the record: Mishani Warfare is a two-time winner from five starts. He has a Metropolitan win behind his name. Mishani Persuasion is another city winner with one win from five starts while Mishani Spartan is unbeaten in two starts … one of four unbeaten runners in the starting line-up … after that rousing, eye-catching success on Saturday.

*The Michael Costa trained Perfect Mission is another one who is eligible for the $1 million Aquis bonus mentioned above should he win the Classic.

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