Summer’s quest for Sunlight double alive

By Brad Bishop (Racing & Sports)

Tony McEvoy has already won a Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a filly on the back-up and he is a live chance of history repeating after Arabian Summer impressed at her Queensland debut on Saturday.

The daughter of Too Darn Hot proved too classy for her rivals in the $150,000 Gold Pearl on the Gold Coast.

Arabian Summer now heads to the $3 million 2YO Classic – a race Sunlight won in 2018, seven days after winning her final lead-up – and McEvoy's son and training partner Calvin said the $220,000 Gold Coast buy continues to step up.

"We thought 'is she just a 1000-metre horse?', but she was very strong at the end of 1100 there and on the back-up I really do think she'll run out the 1200," he said.

The Gold Pearl win was Arabian Summer's second Magic Millions series win in a row, following Ballarat 2YO Classic victory on December 9, which came after second placings in strong form races at her first two starts.

Arabian Summer led in those first three starts but was camped on the leading pair in the Gold Pearl before pouncing on the lead midway down the straight and surging away for a 2-1/4-length win.

Second was $61 pop Mishani Crown, who finished a long-neck clear of third placegetter Moulin Miss ($4.20).

Harry Coffey has been aboard for all four starts and said seeing her win after being ridden with a sit could be advantageous next weekend.

"It was a bit of a different scenario today, she didn't jump as brilliantly as normal so I got a following trail," Coffey said.

"It wasn't the original plan but I'm really happy that we've done that because it holds her in good stead so see her being able to take a sit and relax, then quicken off that.

"I think that is a big tick to the 1200 next time."

Arabian Summer ran 1:03.15, which was slightly faster than Spywire's 1:03.28 win in the Gold Nugget.