TRAINER Gillian Heinrich rated the win by Military Rose in the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions on Saturday better than Group One glory.

Heinrich will now set Military Rose, $4 favorite, for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill after she made a one-act affair of the restricted two-year-old classic beating Sydney filly, Ambers Waltz, $8, and the Brisbane-trained Demanding Miss, $9.5.

The win by Military Rose cost bookmakers plenty. The daughter of General Nediym was backed from $8 to $4 favoritism, which saw the original favorite Ambers Waltz drift to $8 at post-time.

Unbeaten after four starts, Military Rose has now earned more than $1.3 million. Her win ended a 22-year drought for Gold Coast trainers. Sally Rogers was the last local to win the race with Snippets in 1987.

Jockey Stathi Katsidis shared star billing with Heinrich and Military Rose bouncing back from career-threatening problems to reassert his role as the best big race rider in Queensland.

“I expected them to go faster than they did,” Katsidis said. “I didn’t really want to lead but when there wasn’t much speed and she was doing it so easy, I thought I’d just leave her there.

“In these big races, if you can stay out of trouble then you are better off out there.”

Heinrich, who has been training for almost 20 years, was overwhelmed by the big race win on her home track: “This is sensational. Just to get a horse in the race is fantastic but to win it is unbelievable. When she was still in front 200 metres out I really started to get excited.

“I've never won a Group One and Group Twos have been the best wins for me but a Magic Millions is the race I've always wanted to win.

“I've had that many texts from people supporting me, it's been fantastic. It's hard to get a horse into this race. Normally trainers have to battle with shin-soreness with their two-year-olds but she’s kept whacking up for the last four starts.”

Military Rose’s win was a triumph for her sire, General Nediym, which won the race in 1997 and was the only race winner to sire a Magic Millions winner previously when Regimental Gal was successful in 2003.

Heinrich plans to ease Military Rose before setting the filly for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper, 1200m, at Rosehill in April.

Two Magic Million winners, Dance Hero in 2004 and Phelan Ready last year, have gone on to claim the Golden Slipper but no filly has been able to accomplish the feat.

Trainer John O'Shea was delighted with the performance from runner-up Ambers Waltz which was well back on the home turn but declared the winner too good.

The $1 million Magic Millions Trophy for the three-year-olds provided a fairytale result for rookie trainer David Pfieffer when Graceful Anna continued her meteoric rise.

Pfieffer, who has only been training in his own right for 15 months, landed his first Group win with Graceful Anna in the Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben in late December.

Graceful Anna, $6, ridden a treat by Peter Robl, held on to win by a long neck from Tallow, $16, which had to survive a protest from Love Conquers All, $3.3 favorite, for second.

Stewards deliberated after hearing evidence from Darren Beadman that Tallow had bumped his mount twice in the closing stages but gave the benefit of the doubt to Corey Brown who said  Tallow had come from well back and made up plenty of ground.

Pfieffer was overcome with emotion and paid tribute to his mentor, the late trainer Tony Wildman. “He's up there looking down on me. I just know he is. I did a long apprenticeship with Tony - 15 years to be exact - but this makes it all worthwhile.”