The late Tony Wildman enjoyed success in Queensland over many years and now his long-time employee David Pfieffer is hoping to follow in his mentor's footsteps.Pfieffer, who worked for Wildman for 15 years, will start up-and-coming filly Graceful Anna in the Group Three Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben on Saturday.The 1350 metre race will be a stepping stone to the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast on January 9.Pfieffer is just 29 and has been training for less than two years but he ha

The late Tony Wildman enjoyed success in Queensland over many years and now his long-time employee David Pfieffer is hoping to follow in his mentor's footsteps.

Pfieffer, who worked for Wildman for 15 years, will start up-and-coming filly Graceful Anna in the Group Three Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben on Saturday.

The 1350 metre race will be a stepping stone to the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast on January 9.

Pfieffer is just 29 and has been training for less than two years but he has a wealth of experience thanks to his time with Wildman.

The astute horseman taught Pfieffer many things, about training and life.

"He was a good bloke and he was very good to me," Pfieffer said.

"I learned a lot off him about how to train and how to celebrate."

Queensland was a happy hunting ground for Wildman whose wins there included the 2005 Doomben Roses with Cinque Cento and Winter Stakes with Charmview.

Pfieffer often travelled interstate with Wildman's horses which held him in good stead when it came to planning the Magic Millions campaign of Graceful Anna.

The filly travelled north from her Warwick Farm stable earlier this week with Pfieffer keen to give her plenty of time to get accustomed to the warmer climate.

Originally with Oliver Koolman, Graceful Anna came to Pfieffer when Koolman decided to give training away earlier this year.

"When he gave her to me I still had a few shares in her to sell so I rang up a couple of my clients and said if they took her they'd have a bit of fun," Pfieffer said.

"Credit to them, they handed over their money without asking any questions, they didn't even know her name.

"Oliver's clients and my clients had all had horses for years and between the lot of them, this is the best one they've had."

Graceful Anna finished runner-up at her first start in July but contracted a virus so Pfieffer decided to give her a good spell rather than push on.

"It's easier to screw one up than find a good one so we looked after her," he said.

His patience is slowly being rewarded.

Graceful Anna is unbeaten in three runs this campaign posting wins at Kembla Grange and Gosford before setting a new 1200 metre track record at Wyong with a brilliant victory in the Magic Millions Stakes clocking 1.07.82.

She will step up to Group company for the first time on Saturday at what will be her final lead up run to the Gold Coast Magic Millions.

The filly has drawn the rails in the 17-strong field with Blake Shinn to ride.

Wildman went close to winning the Magic Millions Classic for two-year-olds in 1999 when Sally Magic finished second to Testa Rossa and Pfieffer can see similarities between that filly and Graceful Anna.

"She is a real professional, a real racehorse," he said.

"Sally Magic was a good filly, a nice filly and like Graceful Anna she kept improving and doing her job."