A decade after Nathan Perry's greatest victory in the saddle, his twin brother Tommy made his memory proud with a ride in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Unfortunately, Tommy was up against a competing horse that was simply the best on the day.
Ten years since Nathan Perry rode Unencumbered to record the rich race in 2014, and with Nathan tragically passing away just months later, Tommy was looking for an emotional win over His Highness.
With favorite Storm Boy having to do some early work, Perry smoked his pipe on the $900,000 revolver right behind them and peeled it just in time.
“I finished when I saw that the winner had to work a little to find his position,” Perry said after the race.
“When we peeled his back, I got a little excited. But it broke my friend's confidence a little bit when he let the winner down so well.
“He had a lot to do after that to chase him down and he chased him to the line. He chased well, but he was beaten by a better horse.
The Odds makers saw enough in His Highness's second place to give him a haircut in the betting from $21 to $15 on Golden Slipper and he went from $51 to $15 on Blue Diamond.
“This horse made us proud,” said trainer Michael Friedman.
“When we started from the top of the straight I thought we would be the winner, but he wasn’t as good as the winner today,” he said.
The 2024 Magic Millions game was always looming like a long tail and gamblers didn't have to look far and wide to find a winner.
It was a case of the favorite beating the runner-up and an $8.50 Spywire chance to round out the placings.
This was a Magic Millions show that few could complain about, and it was a smash of a day after last year's crazy scenes which saw the day rescheduled after track chaos.
The new Gold Coast track is racing well and will only improve in the 12 months until the next Magic Millions.
This is the last of the Gold Coast Magic Millions carnival in its current format as next year they will race under the lights on a Friday night before returning the next day on Super Saturday.
Originally published as Tommy Perry proud brother Nathan rides Peaches in the Magic Millions
