Gollan’s Prague filly enters Slipper scene with Magic win
Pembrey stamped herself as a potential late Golden Slipper contender for Tony Gollan after she powered to victory in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ridden by James McDonald, the daughter of second-season sire Prague (Redoute’s Choice) was sent off the $2.05 favourite and controlled the race from the front before extending strongly in the straight to score by 1.4 lengths over Lumbini (Russian Revolution), with By Choice (Written By) a further 1.1 lengths away in third.
Pembrey was not among the original Golden Slipper entries, but her Magic Night success guarantees a place in next Saturday’s $5 million juvenile feature should connections elect to pay the $150,000 late entry fee.
Gollan said the decision would depend on how the filly recovers from her Rosehill performance.
“She’s done well over the last two weeks in Sydney and to us it looks as though there’s enough left in the tank to go again in seven days,” Gollan said.
“We’ll let the team make the decision if they want to pay up, we have a look at her all week and see what we’ve got.
“But she’s a nice filly who has hit form at the right time, she handles wet or dry so it won’t matter what the weather throws at us during the week, and she shows good speed so ticks all the boxes.
“We came to Sydney to run in the Golden Slipper so my gut feeling is to back up. We will see how she pulls up but I would imagine we will run her.”
McDonald said he was keen to make amends after the filly’s previous defeat in last month’s Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) when fifth behind Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), beaten 1.6 lengths
“I learned a lot, it was a bad ride last start,” McDonald said.
“I’m so happy I can make amends today and Tony was solid by keeping me on. I’m glad I could repay him and the connections because she’s a beautiful filly.
“She began a lot cleaner today and I was alert to her this time. She lengthened well and really built through the gears.”
McDonald also compared her favourably with Chayan, the equal favourite for the Slipper who he partnered to win last week’s Reisling Stakes.
“Pembrey’s a beautiful filly. Last week’s filly [Chayan] was great as well and she’s very similar,” he said.
Should she line up at Rosehill, Pembrey would attempt to become the seventh filly to complete the Magic Night–Golden Slipper double, the latest being Kiamichi (Sidestep) in 2019.
Three late entries – Closer To Free (Street Boss), Music Time (All Too Hard) and potentially Pembrey – are expected to be paid up by Monday’s deadline.
Pembrey was passed in as part of Vinery Stud’s draft at Book 2 of the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and retained to race by her breeders Kia Ora Stud, who enjoyed a juvenile stakes double having also bred Pago Pago Stakes winner Warwoven.
She is the first stakes winner from eight overall for her Group 2-winning dam Se Sauver (Bel Esprit) also the dam of Listed-placed winner Amplify (Microphone). Se Sauver is herself a half-sister to 2013 South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Escado (Casino Prince).
Saturday’s win was also a first stakes winner for the New South Wales-based operation’s resident Prague, who stood the 2025 breeding season at a reduced fee of $11,000 (inc GST).