The very first winner for young Kitchwin Hills based sire Dane Shadow, Shadow Assassin booked his place in the field for next months $2 million Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a thrilling win in the inaugural running of the $200,000 Strawberry Hill Magic Millions Prelude (1200m) at Randwick on Boxing Day.

Trained at the track by Gai Waterhouse and ridden by Victorian jockey Damien Oliver, Shadow Assassin showed plenty of fight over the concluding stages to hold out the warm favourite Koblenz.

What a debut, Waterhouse told TVN from the winners stall.

The outstanding horsewoman said she wasnt sure until earlier in the week whether to run the exciting youngster.

Honestly and truly, he can be such a goose, I thought will I or wont I turn him out.

And I thought - no hes fit enough well just go along quietly and it worked wonders.

I said to Damien - just ride him wherever youve got him, but dont pull on the reins. Hes got a very silly habit of flicking his head and he might hit you in the face and you dont want to break your nose again.

Hes got so much improvement, Waterhouse said of the $100,000 purchase from the Kulani Park draft at the 2008 Magic Millions yearling sale.

If Shadow Assassin does win at the Gold Coast on January 10 it would be Waterhouses fourth win in Queenslands richest race - she has won the race with Assertive Lad in 2000, Excellerator in 2001 and Dance Hero in 2004.

Im so thrilled for the owners, Waterhouse said. Im thrilled for Grahame Mapp who of course stands (sire) Dane Shadow and Im particularly pleased for Magic Millions.

They stuck their neck out to put this race on. I was one of the main agitators. So well done John (Singelton) and thanks very much.

Winning rider Damien Oliver was particularly impressed with the fight from the winner when challenged by the well backed favourite Koblenz.

I thought the second horse had us half way up the straight, but when I got stuck into this bloke he really answered the challenge well.

He got squeezed out a bit early. I hadnt planned on getting that far back.

I cut the corner and he came through well and then he got out to the gap and he knuckled down with the second horse.

Shadow Assassin has got the Dane Shadow off the mark in the best possible way in winning the feature juvenile event and in doing so he has also paid for himself with his first cheque.

Originally Shadow Assassin was offered as a weanling by Kitchwin Hills as agent at the 2007 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling sale where the Belmont Bloodstock Agency purchased him for $100,000.

Kulani Park as agent the re-offered the colt at the Magic Millions Yearling sale in January and he was knocked down to Magic Millions as agent for $100,000.

Shadow Assassins sire, Dane Shadow stands at Kitchwin Hills in New South Wales and to date he has had six horses to the track with a metropolitan placegetter Shellscrape.

Shadow Assassin is one of two runners for the winning Citidancer mare Mascara Magic, a sister to stakes winner and Queensland Oaks runner-up Citicrecuit, and a half sister to the Adelaide stakes placegetter Serein (by Snippets).

Mascara Magic is from the unraced Marscay mare, Serene City a half-sister to Mr. Vitality (by Snippets); HKJC Chairmans Prize (HK-1), HKJC Stewards Cup (HK-1), HKJC Chairmans Prize (HK-1), Rose OWar (by Danehill); MVRC Diamond Jubilee S. (G2), MRC Angus Armanasco S. (G3), and runner up in the VRC Oaks (G1), Gunnamatta (Snippets); Mornington Cup (L) (three times) and Danehill Express (by Danehill); MRC Gothic S. (L), and runner-up in the VRC Australian Guineas (G1).

Other members of this family include the Group One AJC Oaks winner Savana City (by New Regent) and the Hong Kong Group I Centenary Sprint Cup winner, King Of Danes (by Danehill).

Dane Shadow has seven yearlings catalogued for the fourth coming Magic Millions Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast in the new year from January 7th until the 16th.

Story courtesy of stallions.com - December 27th