Storm Boy holds the call and will jump favourite in Saturday’s $3 million Magic Millions 2yo Classic, holding firm at $2.50 after drawing barrier 10, which will come into 9 if the emergency fails to get a run.
A noted front-runner for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott yard, the unbeaten son of Justify draws two barriers inside of second-favourite Spywire, another established front-runner for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace yard who remains at $5.50 with online bookmakers having won the Aquid Gold Nugget last week.
It sets up what appears to be a good tempo on paper and one stable that is hoping to capitalise on that is the Tony & Calvin McEvoy yard who will back up last week’s Aquis Gold Pearl winner Arabian Summer, the filly drawing barrier 9- one inside Storm Boy.
A speedy type herself having led her first three starts, Arabian Summer was able to take a sit last week and co-trainer Calvin McEvoy believes the middle draw should be advantageous to employ similar tactics this week.
“I’m happy with it, we wanted to draw probably one to five (but) I think as it played out, the favourite’s drawn one outside us in ten, she’s very versatile, she’ll be positive and she’ll hopefully be in the first four or five with some cover and I think it’s a really good barrier,” McEvoy said.
Arabian Summer raced over 1000m in her first three starts, winning the Ballarat Magic Millions 2yo Classic in December but handled the rise to 1100m last week and the stable is confident the daughter of Too Darn Hot can handle the extra 100m and added pressure on Saturday.
“Early on in her career we probably had her pegged as just a speed, 1000 metre filly but her last two starts she’s shown that she’s versatile, she’ll run out a strong, definitely 1100 and I think with a nice run she’ll certainly run the 12 (hundred) out so I’m very happy with her,” McEvoy said.
Two other horses remain in single figures for Saturday’s feature with the Michael Freedman trained Highness at $6.50, a last start winner of the Wyong Magic Millions 2yo Classic drawing well in barrier 4, and $600,000 Godolphin colt Parkour at $9, drawn the widest barrier in 17.