Yarradale Stud-bred graduate Come On Emma won first-up at Ascot on Monday like a filly ready to go through the grades for trainer Simon Miller.

Come On Emma (Photo / Western Racepix) was resuming after a short spring campaign and firmed from $3.30 into a $2.50 favourite for the Swan Draught Maiden (1200m).  The Gingerbread Man 3yo covered ground under Brad Parnham but was travelling well within herself and was ridden out to score by over a length from Sister Talk (I'm All The Talk).

“She was as green as grass during her first prep but has been galloping with some of our good horses at Belmont,” stable rep Kelly Kinninmont revealed.  “She was posted wide early but Brad took off at the right time.  She’s sound and can keep improving.”

Come On Emma (3f Gingerbread Man - Habenera by War Chant) was a $55,000 buy for Rapid Equine’s Neil Irvine from Yarradale at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions.  She is a full-sister to Berbere who has won 4 of her 8 starts to date for Williams Racing. Habenera has an unraced 2yo named Bradbury's Moment (Bradbury's Luck) with trainer Dan Morton and her latest foal is a filly by Playing God.

Natural Gem was another impressive winner for Yarradale and Brad Parnham in the Racing WA Careers In Racing Hcp (1200m) on Monday.  Positioned ideally in transit, she followed the favourite Native Flower (Gingerbread Man) into the straight and was doing her best work in the final furlong.

“She has ability but can be hard work at home and in her races,” trainer Neville Parnham said.  “She sweats up and wants to get it over and done with but the solid pace helped today.  Brad got the best out of her with a good kick at the end to get the job done.”

Natural Gem (4m So You Think - Nordic Gem by Swiss Ace) topped the Yarradale draft at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.  She was catalogued as Lot 2 and Parnham got in early with a successful bid of $200,000.  Yarradale kept a share with Neville’s wife Carol and long-time client Bob Pearson.

Her dam Nordic Gem has an early-season Gingerbread Man filly on the ground at Yarradale.  Second-dam Rose Of Dane (Danehill) was runner-up to Bomber Bill in the G1 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) of 1998 before going to Melbourne to win five races including the LR Summoned Stakes at Sandown.

Dashing Erika was also among Yarradale’s consignment to the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and she opened her account in the Bunbury Volkswagen Maiden (1400m) on Sunday.

The 4yo daughter of Smart Missile was a $100,000 buy for Durrant Racing and her owners also include Neil Irvine and Yarradale’s Lyn Sayers.  She had finished fourth at Bunbury on debut in December and broke through back in the south-west after handing up an early lead to Polyvanova (Unite And Conquer).

“Dashing Erika is green but she is good,” Durrant Racing posted on Facebook.  “That was promising at just her second start and it was a 10 out of 10 ride by Lucy (Fiore) to reward punters with some bang for their buck.”

Yarradale has catalogued her Gingerbread Man half-brother as Lot 304 at the Perth Magic Millions.  Their NZ-bred dam Streak Away (O’Reilly) has also foaled Lucky's Way (Bradbury’s Luck) who has won three city races to date in Yarradale’s colours for Simon Miller.

Second-dam Brava Fortune (Falbrav) won the 2008 G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) in Yarradale’s green and gold livery as did third-dam Fortune Streak (Pricelessly) in the 2001 LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m).

Yarradale has 16 yearlings coming down to the Perth Magic Millions from Gidgegannup on February 20 and 21.