Willowbend Stud stallion Clang (Bellotto-Sudden Impulse) added another Group One triumph to his list after Black Piranha took out the million dollar Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
Black Piranha made it back to back wins in Queensland's richest handicap when he stormed home under Nash Rawiller to win by a short half head.
The Clang gelding (Willowbend Stud, Beaudesert) is trained at Rosehill by Con Karakatsanis and was purchased by his father and former trainer Tony for $41,000 at the 2005 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
It was a good result for the Magic Millions - three of the first five runners home, including the first and second placegetters, were sold as yearlings at the famous Gold Coast sale ring.
In a thrilling four way finish, Black Piranha did best to beat fellow Magic Millions Yearling Sale graduate Melito.
Home bred gallopers Mic Mac and Beaded ran third and fourth, while recent Group One winner Albert the Fat, another Gold Coast purchase, was a close up fifth.
"He was just the most athletic horse at the Magic Millions sales," Tony Karakatsanis said of Black Piranha.
"He really took my eye and he's turned out a great racehorse and I'm so proud of what Con has done with the horse."
"I'm the proudest person on the track again today," Karakatsanis Snr added.
Black Piranha has turned into a great money spinner for his connections. The $41,000 they paid for him at the Magic Millions has turned into $2,514,150.
As expected winning trainer Con Karakatsanis was jumping for joy in the mounting yard.
"He got shunted out pretty wide on the corner," Karakatsanis beamed. "I thought it was going to be very tough from there - especially in this field."
"He means everything to me this horse," he added.
"He keeps knocking the knockers and everyone kind of forgot about him and he just shows how good he is."
"I had him perfect for today. I knew in his 10,000 run that he was one run short and that run did him the world of good."
"The last six months nothing has gone right for this horse. But his past two runs had been very encouraging."
"I'm just rapt to go back to back - not many horses can do it. This horse is a freak!"
"I always wanted to defend the title. To make it come true, it's something different."
"It's the best feeling in the world."
Black Piranha is a son of former classy sprinter and prominent Group One sire Clang.
He is the only named foal for his dam, the unraced Distinctly North mare Jazztrack.
He took his record to 8 wins (also including 2009's Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm & Listed Sunshine Coast Cup over 1400m at Caloundra) & 16 placings (including March's Gr2 Canterbury Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill, plus 2009's Gr1 George Main Stakes over 1600m at Randwick, Gr1 Doomben 10,000 over 1350m at Doomben, Gr1 Doncaster Handicap over 1600m at Randwick, Gr1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill, Gr3 Cameron Handicap over 1300m at Newcastle & Magic Millions Cup over 1400m at the Gold Coast, as well as 2008's Gr2 Shannon Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill) from 46 starts for $2,514,155 earnings.
