Caulfield trainer John Moloney appears to have a special juvenile in his care after the slashing win of Scorched Earth in the Magic Millions SA Two-Year-Old Classic at Murray Bridge last Saturday.
Racing for stake money of $202,250, the most South Australia has ever put up for a two-year-old event, Scorched Earth ($3.10 favourite) was always in control of the 1200-metre event, kicking clear under Jessica Eaton to win by 5¼ lengths.
It was the Nicconi filly’s maiden win and came at her third start, following a debut fourth in the Clockwise Classic at Ballarat and a second to Arcaded in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies.

For her part, Eaton went on her winning way back at Murray Bridge on Wednesday with a treble.
She won on the Andrew Clarken-trained New Roman ($5), the Mick Huxtable-trained Master of Zerprise ($2.35) favourite and Sadente ($3.70), who completed Clarken’s first training double.
Stacey’s got it going on
Apprentice Stacey Metcalfe continued on her winning way at Murray Bridge, posting a straight hat-trick.
Her first winner, Justica ($19), came from near last with a strong run in the straight to win the benchmark 60 over 1200 metres.
The Brian Clarke-trained Justica was coming off a benchmark 64 win over the same trip at her home track Port Lincoln, and her win completed a Murray Bridge double for SA-based Redoute’s Choice sire Barbados, following Struck By’s success earlier in the day.
Riding for the Morphettville stable of Peter Blanch, Metcalfe landed her second winner when Azzureous powered home from last to win the benchmark 78 over 2500 metres.
The four-year-old Dedline gelding attracted some nibbles at big odds ($61-$51) despite coming off a five-length fifth in a benchmark 58 over 1750 metres at Kangaroo Island. He was a winner over 2200 metres at Balaklava last spring and it seems the rise in distance again did the trick.
Metcalfe finished a banner day when she brought Kyshaka ($9.50) home from midfield to win a one-metro-win affair over 1800 metres.
Prepared at Mount Gambier by Peter Hardacre, Kyshaka was breaking a run of 10 defeats to bring up her first win in 405 days. It was Metcalfe’s first ride on the Time Thief mare.
Saturday’s treble gave Metcalfe 10 winners for the month of February and 17 since relocating from NSW in mid-December.
Her followers could have cashed in big-time on the Murray Bridge quaddie — those three winners combined with the first-leg favourite (Scorched Earth) returned $68,001.70 on the NSW TAB.
A pair for Paul
Paul Gatt started the day off well at Murray Bridge with a double in the first two races.
The Andrew Clarken-trained second-starter Divenire ($3.60) came from one off the pace to take the three-year-old maiden plate over 1000 metres, then Gatt had the Travis Doudle-trained last-start winner Struck By ($4.20) well placed throughout to take the 1400-metre three-year-old handicap.
Dual joy for Jason
Jockey Jason Holder and trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly took the points at Balaklava last Sunday with a double apiece.
Holder’s winners were the Gordon Richards-trained No Strings and Better for Jon O’Connor while the Jollys scored with Hateech and Kalamon.