Price, Kent sweat with Space Rider in 2025 Magic Millions Classic field
One of the leading chances for this year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic is in danger of missing a run after being left as an emergency for the $3 million event.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Space Rider was drawn as first emergency for the 1200-metre event when final acceptances were taken on Monday.
The son of Zoustar charged up betting charts to a single-figure quote after a brilliant win at Eagle Farm on December 28 at his only racetrack appearance.
He was in the field of 16 prior to Saturday but was leap-frogged first by Quietly Arrogant and Forgotten Spirit after their performances at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Space Rider will be ridden by Chad Schofield if he sneaks a place in the field.
Fillies dominate this year’s field with 11 of the 16 guaranteed starters of that gender, including leading fancies La Bella Boom, Icarian Dream, O’ Ole, Memo, Vein Girl, Invincible Woman and Hi Barbie.
Last-start Sydney winner Gallo Nero is the most highly-rated of the five colts in the field of 16, second favourite in the market headed by Icarian Dream.
Barriers for the 2YO Classic will be drawn on Tuesday morning at the traditional event on the Surfers Paradise foreshore with starting positions for the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas to also be decided.
That 1400m event has brought together a field of 18, plus five emergencies, headlined by the Sandown Guineas quinella of Snitzanova and Bittercreek, Magic Millions Wyong winner Bauhinia, last-start Group 3 winner Give Me Space, the in-form Tuileries and Sunlight’s son Dawn Service.
Craig Williams has declared he will be fit to take his rides aboard La Bella Boom and Street Chase in the two $3m events after being cleared of serious injury to his ankle after being stood down midway through Saturday’s Sunshine Coast meeting.
It is expected to be known by Thursday night whether the Gold Coast track will be suitable to host the meeting with remedial work being carried out on the damaged patch of turf that caused last weekend’s fixture to be transferred to the Sunshine Coast.
More Racing News
Thrilling Scone Cup success for in-form Hellsing
Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Hellsing has entered excellent shape and notched his finest victory yet in the Listed $200,000 Arrowfield Scone Cup (1600m) held at Scone on Friday.On his 10th run in a preparation exceeding six months, Hellsing is thriving more than ever, building on a Royal Randwick...
Trainer Moloney sees ongoing enhancement in Hearcomesthestar
Improvement has marked every preparation, and John Moloney, the trainer, expects additional development from Hearcomesthestar in her upcoming appearance at Flemington.From 28 races, Hearcomesthestar has notched six wins and eight places, but Stakes grade has proven challenging for her.The approaching six-year-old earned a Listed placing at Geelong earlier this year,...
Searle family from SA chasing Melbourne Cup dream with Sir Kingsford
Gary and Nichole Searle, together with their daughter Brianna Callanan, form a South Australian training outfit with ambitions for Sir Kingsford in the Melbourne Cup.A victory in Saturday's Listed Andrew Ramsden (3200m) at Flemington earns the winner a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption ahead of the big November event.Nichole Searle sampled...
Scone's Luskin Star Stakes sees Estadio Mestalla with tough weight
Trainer Joe Pride questions the two-kilo advantage given to a Group 1 winner over Estadio Mestalla in the Luskin Star Stakes, but trusts the steady gelding to deliver full commitment.At seven years old, he notched his top triumph in the prior year's Listed Winter Stakes (1100m) and must shoulder 61kg...
Barrier 18 no hindrance to Sequista's Scone return
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou believe filly Sequista has the class for black-type success despite her tendency to undermine herself.Having notched stakes placings in the 2024 Inglis Nursery (1000m) and run near the placings in Tempted's Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m), the three-year-old targets another milestone in Saturday's Listed Denise's...
Flemington awaits Concord Connie's next bold move
Trainer Charlotte Littlefield hopes her talented filly Concord Connie can replicate her recent feat before entertaining grander aspirations.In her third race appearance at Flemington on Anzac Day, Concord Connie notched a breathtaking win by six lengths in sharp time.This Saturday, the filly heads back to Flemington to compete against the...
Dark Jewel Classic in sights for Harlem Queen
While Harlem Queen didn't sustain her early promise from age three, trainer Nathan Doyle feels confident after her trouble-free lead-up that she might restore reliable results.She returns Saturday in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) held at Scone, where despite preferring stamina tests ahead, barrier five positions her well for Doyle's...
Flemington run to decide Different Gravy's Queensland Derby chances
At Flemington, Different Gravy will put his Queensland Derby dreams to the test in upcoming action.Following a Listed triumph over 1800m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last year, trainer Henry Dwyer fixed his focus on the northern Derby.The Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm scheduled for May...
Abounding's scratch lets Napoleonic into Doomben 10,000 lineup
Confirmation has arrived that Napoleonic will join the Doomben 10,000 field, following Abounding's removal which opened the door for the colt in the elite Group 1 dash.Team members experienced a stressful seven days after the three-year-old earned second emergency status for the $1.5 million event, as reserve Beadman claimed a...
Snowden's stable loaded with top sprinters for feature clashes
Boasting a stable full of high-caliber sprinters primed for black-type action, trainer Peter Snowden enjoys the luxury of picking and choosing among several prestigious races.Just a couple of weeks earlier, Zealously claimed victory in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m), followed by King Of Roseau and Beadman grabbing interstate stakes wins...