Do I Feel Lucky spearheads the pack in speedy front-running win in $250,000 2yo Magic Millions Classic

Do I Feel Lucky turned in an electric exhibition of pace, staving off Perfectly Proper in a nail-biting finish to the $250,000 Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at Pinjarra. Despite drawing wide in gate 11, the son of Dirty Work mustered exceptional dash to pierce his way across the pack and led by the first bend. With 400m to go, rider Chris Parnham cut the ribbons on the $4.20 TABtouch second favourite and soon drew a length clear. By the 200m, he had extended the lead to as much as three lengths with a dynamite kick while Perfectly Proper ($12) squirmed her way into open air and started to extend. At the 100m, the front-running effort was taking its toll and Sean and Jake Casey’s gelding was getting weary as Perfectly Proper made up ground hand over fist. In the final 30m, Perfectly Proper made up an entire length but still came up a nose short, with Do I Feel Lucky clinging on in a desperate finish. It was a plan well executed by co-trainer Jake Casey, with the gelding sparingly raced in his fourth run since December. “He hasn’t put a foot wrong and to win a race like this with him, it’s a great result,” Casey said. “We were very confident, probably more confident before the barrier draw, but we were very happy with that run last start. “He was always going to benefit from that and probably paddled a bit late, but he had to do a bit of work from the barrier. He was good enough just to hang on. “We wanted to be positive, and we probably got across a bit easier than we thought but he still had to do the work. It all panned out well. “We’ll freshen him up again and go Perth Stakes into the Karrakatta.” The $500,000 Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) is considered the pinnacle of the WA two-year-old racing season and will be held on April 26 at Ascot. For Parnham, it was his third consecutive victory in the rich classic after Super Smink and Big Shots landed the previous two editions. “He really jumped well and showed a lot of speed. I’d ridden him previously and he was pretty speedy, but he went to another level today,” Parnham said. “I thought I’d just held on, but I didn’t want to mock myself. Pulling up Clint Johnston-Porter said, ‘well done, mate’. He might’ve tried to do the reverse mock, but it was good to see my number in the frame. “I’ve won the last three, which is good. I’ve been lucky enough to get on some pretty handy juveniles, so thanks for all the support.”