David Hayes and the connections of impressive Goodwood winner Vega Magic are looking at The Everest in Sydney next spring following the galloper's stirring success in the million dollar event at Morphetville.

The former WA-trained four-year-old, the third winner of the afternoon for Craig Williams, was winning first up for the Lindsay Park operation having only joined the Hayes stable 10 weeks ago.

Vega Magic's last start had been over 1400 metres in a group3 contest in Perth in December, but he was good enough to wear down the lightly weighted filly Missrock, from Robbie Laing's Cranbourne yard, with locally trained outsider Casino Wizard running the race of his life in third place.

Hayes said his new acquisition had worked brilliantly at home in the lead-up to his trip to Adelaide and had reminded him more than a little of Redkirk Warrior, the horse he trained to win the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington first-up in March - the first time a horse had won that 1200-metre test when resuming for more than 100 years.

Hayes won the race 46 years after his father Colin had taken out the 1971 Goodwood with Romantic Son - the only other time the South Australian dynasty had scored in the state's best known race.

Punters win protest

The Darren Weir-trained Kenedna took out the The Roses at group 2 level in Brisbane, but connections had to endure a nervous wait as James Doyle lodged a protest on runner-up Oklahoma Girl.

John Allen pulled the $2.80 favourite to the outside at the top of the straight but his horse, who struggled to hold its line in the shifting ground, was quickly joined by Chris Waller's Oklahoma Girl, which travelled beautifully when launching from the tail of the field over the 2000m. The duo bumped numerous times down the straight, with a short neck the final margin.

Green light: Kenedna had a bumpy ride but was ruled to have not impeded Oklahoma Girl. Photo: Getty Images

Doyle was quick to fire off a protest, alleging his mount was impeded enough times to blunt all its momentum. Allen conceded Kenedna shifted out but not enough to change the result. Stewards agreed, with cheers around Doomben as quaddie legs stayed alive heading into the Doomben Cup.

From zero to hero

He remains somewhat of a mystery horse but The Virginian was able to outgun his opposition when he returned to racing at Doomben on Saturday. Now he's set for another crack at the Stradbroke in June.

The four-year-old came from nowhere to run a slashing third in the Winter Carnival feature at $81 last year, then flopped in Melbourne, prompting trainer Toby Edmonds to send him to the paddock.

After winning a recent trial at Deagon, The Virginian stormed past bolters Highly Geared and Quelle Liaison over 1050 metres to win the Chief De Beers Quality.

"I got a bit excited," Edmonds said. "It was great to see him back. He went to Melbourne, went a bit missing and we put him away for a bit. His first trial was very ordinary, we took him straight to Deagon the week after and gave him a good tune up. That topped him off for today and hopefully we can get into the Stradbroke."

'Special' record

Gerald Ryan and Snitzel will always be associated, so it was fitting that Pymble became Snitzel's 31st individual juvenile winner for the season at Newcastle on Saturday.

Ryan was delighted to be the one to set the new mark for the horse he won a Lightning Stakes with.

"When I knew I could be the one to break the record I was very happy," Ryan said. "It is a bit special."

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