Magic Millions Raceday at the Gold Coast is fast approaching. Last weekend there were a few horses that solidified their position and a couple of horses who may not make it.
Annabel Neasham is very familiar with good 2-year-olds, and Saturday at Eagle Farm Queen Of Wizardry (Not A Single Doubt) proved no exception.
Despite being held up at vital stage about 200 metres from home, Stephanie Thornton worked her way to the outside and let Queen Of Wizardry show her dazzling turn of speed. Downing short-priced favourite Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) in 1:11.31 for the 1200 metres, this speedy filly has earned her spot in this year’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Chris Waller has yet to make a decision on Ranch Hand, but it looks unlikely he will push onto the big 2-year-old event in a fortnight. Ranch Hand is right on the cusp to gain a start in the race with $32,775 in the bank and there is the possibility of a few to leapfrog him in the order of entry after this Saturday’s final lead up races.
Early Magic Millions 2YO Classic favourite Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}), who was disappointing last start, will be given his opportunity in the race. Although found to be mildly lame after the BJ McLachlan run, Shaqero will line up in this Saturday’s Aquis Gold Nugget for 2-year-old Colts and Geldings over 1100 metres. Given five of the past eight winners of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic raced the week before the big one, it certainly looks the right path to take.
Another Magic Millions graduate Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) was a very impressive winner of the 1150 metre 2-year-old race at the Kensington track on Saturday. The half-sister to Emeralds (Sebring) showed her class after sitting deep on the speed and roaring away with an impressive debut performance on a heavy surface.
She ran 1:07.41 overall and a quick 34.18s for her last 600 metres. Four Moves Ahead will bypass the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in favour for a tilt at the G1 Golden Slipper, and with a wet track being no issue, she looks a very smart prospect with a bright future this autumn.
On Friday we saw another Godolphin homebred show an incredible amount of talent on debut. Frost Flowers (Frosted {USA}), trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, blew her rivals away in the most impressive 2-year-old performance of the weekend on the clock. Being a half to G1 Blue Diamond S. runner-up Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) by Frosted (USA), it’s not surprising to see her show early talent.
Frost Flowers ran 1000 metres in a slick 57.30s. The splits of the race; 800 metres - 600 metres in 10.45s, 600 metres - 400 metres in 10.50s and 400 metres - 200 metres in 10.75s, including the last 600 metres in 32.86s, revealed this was one of the best 2-year-old performances so far this year. She will be now set for the Blue Diamond races and the Golden Slipper.
Another 3YO Guineas contender
Private Eye (Al Maher) is another who booked his ticket to the Sunshine State by winning the BM72 3-year-old at Kensington on Saturday. In what was an exceptionally smart ride by Regan Bayliss, he steered back to the inside when the run didn’t appear earlier in the straight and worked away from the inferior ground near the fence to score a decisive victory.
Private Eye ran 1:17.08 for the 1300 metres, which stacks up well to the other 1300 metres on the program, an Open BM78, run in similar time.
That’s now four wins from just five career starts and he will line up in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas over 1400 metres.
Performance of the weekend – Miss Albania
The Enver Jusufovic-trained mare Miss Albania (Magnus) was exceptional on Saturday at Caulfield, recording her third win from just four starts in a dashing display of speed in the Fillies and Mares' BM70 over 1100 metres.
She jumped quickly from the gates and asserted her position in front shortly after the start, and gave a galloping exhibition.
Miss Albania stopped the clock in a sizzling 1:02.47 just 0.74 outside Here De Angels (Dehere {USA}) 1100m Caulfield track record. It was a performance of sustained speed, running splits of 10.34s from 1000-800 metres, 10.30s from 800-600 metres, 11.14s from 600-400 metres and 11.02s from 400-200 metres. Jockey Craig Newitt said she still had plenty of gas left in the tank on the line.
Her next assignment will be the 1100 metres BM84 on Australia Day at Caulfield, but with sectional figures like this, she will be graduating to stakes grade in the not-too-distant future.
