The Magic Millions was rocked by controversy off the track when two-year-old Classic favourite Warwoven was scratched on race morning, but it was not close to the drama that unfolded following a protest in the Magic Millions Guineas on Saturday.
Guineas favourite Ninja had become the anchor for many punters after Warwoven’s scratching, and those supporters were left relying on a protest from Tommy Berry after Torque To Be Sure had the better of him on the track.
Berry had been at the centre of the most controversial protest in Magic Millions history when Driefontein lifted the Magic Millions two-year-old Classic from No Looking Back in 2012, but this time he couldn’t get the result reversed.
The decision will be debated, with questions over whether Torque To Be Sure rolling off his line and into Ninja’s running cost him the race.
However, the outside draw of barrier 17 was probably the determining factor in Ninja’s defeat. He was forced to travel wide throughout and, while still on the bridle at the top of the straight, needed everything to go right to win. It didn’t.
Torque To Be Sure held a three-quarters of a length margin on the track but had clearly drifted out in the closing stages and made significant contact with a charging Ninja, which would be enough in many protests.
Berry and trainer Michael Freedman made their case that Ninja had been denied the right to run to victory in the final 100 metres, with Torque To Be Sure running out and jockey Ben Melham only straightening him in the final 20 metres.
Here it is… the overhead angle from THAT bump
Protest?! pic.twitter.com/Jst92KlgSU
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) January 17, 2026
Stewards agreed with a number of their points but could not find sufficient reason to change the placings in the second-against-first protest.
“We believe at the top of the straight Ninja was close to a length behind Torque To Be Sure,” Racing Queensland chief steward Josh Adams said in his ruling.
“At the point where Torque To Be Sure starts to move out, we believe there is a minor shift from Ninja, but the majority of the shift is out from Torque To Be Sure.“
“At the point where Torque To Be Sure makes contact with Ninja, we believe the margin has been taken down to half a length to a long neck.“
“There is a considerable bump and then Torque To Be Sure commences to shift out again, where Mr Melham stops and straightens 20 metres from the post.“
“Stewards have looked at where the interference has occurred and how both runners have finished off the race. Though the level of interference is significant, stewards can’t be comfortably satisfied, given the margin of three-quarters of a length at the line, that we should change the judges’ placings.”
Further clouding the result, Melham was fined $1,000 for breaching the whip rules on Torque To Be Sure.
The protest completely overshadowed Unit Five charging along the fence to win the Magic Millions Classic at just his second start.
It was a brilliant ride from Tommy Stockdale as Unit Five led home a Ciaron Maher quinella, beating Tornado Valley and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained By Choice.
“This will be his biggest win,” Maher said. “He and Browny [Ethan Brown] are not dissimilar. They are both hard-working riders with plenty of ability and the type of blokes I enjoy working with.”
Stockdale didn’t go around a horse and charged through late to claim the biggest win of his riding career.
“I’ve always wanted to be competing on the big stage, but my weight has probably held me back,” Stockdale said. “I never wavered and I’ve always stuck hard at my work.“
“I thought this horse’s trial here two weeks ago was something to be reckoned with.“
“I shut him down early because he was going to show them up too much and possibly do too much.“
“I was on the back of the right horses and I just had to pick which one was going to take me into the race.“
“For a young horse to go back to the rail by themselves and then put a field like that away, it shows how mature he is.“
“He’s a two-year-old to be reckoned with over the autumn.”
