Gai Waterhouse could almost be heard from over in the USA cheering her smart Sydney filly Carriages home in today’s Magic Millions Clockwise Classic 2014 at Ballarat as she scored an upset over the odds-on favourite on Ballarat Cup Day.

Waterhouse had her daughter of Hinchinbrook primed and ready to go for the $200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic (1000m) run the right-handed way as they go in Sydney.

A natural right-handed runner according to the winning jockey Craig Williams, Carriages did everything right today and is now heading up to the Gold Coast on January 10 for a shot at the lucrative $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).

“She’s a little pocket rocket with a great attitude,” Williams said post-win.

“She’s got a great attitude…all heat.”

She debuted at Randwick on November 8 and ran third in a two-year-olds’ plate over 1000m, a loss that surprised connections including co-owner, the Gold Coast-based Dave Henderson.

Waterhouse however didn’t lose faith in the filly and targeted her for the trip to Melbourne and today’s Ballarat Magic Millions race.

Her faith was rewarded with Carriages ($7) too good for the odds-on favourite Prompt Return ($1.80) winning running away by two lengths with Moral Outrage ($10) finishing off the trifecta in a photo for third.

Williams had his filly right up on the bunny after the jump, Carriages kicking away well from her wide draw to settle into a nice position just off the pace set by the local hope Captain Crackerjack while the previously unbeaten Prompt Return was in third during the early stages.

By the turn Carriages was up leading and had around 1.5 lengths to spare over the Danny O’Brien-trained favourite.

He quickly arrived on the scene challenging but it was obvious at the top of the straight the punters were in trouble with Carriages travelling far too sweetly and the favourite in trouble a long way out from the post.

She tried her heart out and was too good on the line, her previous experience race wise going this way a bit advantage, winning the big prize money and qualifying for the 2015 Magic Millions 2YO Classic during the summer.

“She is sheer speed and her determination won her this race today,” Williams said.

“I just thought this horse has natural speed. She’s a natural right-handed horse and that was a big advantage in this race, I thought I’d use that to my advantage.

“What a great attitude.

“A lovely neat filly going the right way looking towards the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in January.”

The Magic Millions 2YO Classic is a race Waterhouse has enjoyed huge success in winning four times with: Assertive Lad (2000), Excellerator (2001), Dance Hero (2004) and most recently with Drifontein (2012).

She also ran second in 2013 with Sweet Idea and will be looking to go one better with this filly in 2015, something Henderson is looking forward to.

“We came down here and go the job done to beat a pretty smart horse,” he said.

“Now we’ll look at that (the Gold Coast) as she’s well and truly qualified.

“We’re from the Gold Coast and we love it up there.

“It’ll be good to be up there again.”

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2014 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic Results & Finishing Order

Ballarat Race 6 – 22/11/2014

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Wgt.	SP
1	7	CARRIAGES	Gai Waterhouse	Craig Williams	–	7	55kg	$7
2	1	PROMPT RETURN	Danny O’Brien	James Winks	2L	6	57kg	$1.75F
3	3	MORAL OUTRAGE	David Hayes & Tom Dabernig	Dwayne Dunn	4L	5	57kg	$10
4	2	OLD TRIESTE	Andrew Noblet	Stephen Baster	4.1L	1	57kg	$5.50
5	6	ATALANTA MISS	Patrick Payne	Jordan Childs (a)	6.6L	3	55kg	$12
6	4	CAPTAIN CRACKERJAK	Dan O’Sullivan	Ms Nikita Beriman	18.6L	2	57kg	$31
7	5	RISE TO FAME	Shawn Mathrick	Vlad Duric	22.4L	4	57kg	$71
–	9	ECLAT	Mick Price	Craig Newitt	–	0	–	–
–	8	BELLA DENTRO	Shane Nichols	Jack Hill	–	0	–	–