Jockey Hugh Bowman believes that Weinholt is a winning chance in the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m), if he can receive a trouble free run in the $1 million event at the Gold Coast tomorrow.
Hugh Bowman is confident that Weinholt has the class required to win the Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Bowman was brimming with praise for Weinholt, who he rode for the first time when second in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes (1200m) on December 19, but admits that the Stratum colt may struggle if the Magic Millions Guineas is run at a muddling pace around the tricky Gold Coast track.
“The only thing I will say about this horse is that he is a big striding horse and covers a lot of ground in his action,” Bowman told Racing Ahead.
“The horse will be better suited on a bigger track, but in saying that he has a good amount of class on his side.
“He has drawn a nice alley and if he can have a trouble free run, I think that he is a winning chance.
“If it is a messy race and I get into trouble, which may happen and can happen at the Gold Coast, that won’t suit him.
“He isn’t a hustle and bustle type, but he oozes class.”
Weinholt has not recorded a race win since he took out the Geoff Murphy Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on March 30 last year, but performed well during the 2013 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
He started his campaign with a third place finish in the Sweeney Can Do Agents Handicap (1000m) and was fourth in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley before finishing second behind Long John in the Listed Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
The three-year-old worked home fairly to finish fifth behind Éclair Big Bang in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) and was sent to the spelling paddock after finishing a disappointing twelfth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Weinholt returned to racing in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes (1200m) and blundered at the start, but fought home strongly in the final stages to challenge odds-on favourite Sweet Idea and finished a narrow second.
“He did race well and I trailed him leading up to that and have ridden him in work a few times,” Bowman said.
“He gives you a really good feel this horse.
“Obviously, Peter has an opinion of him and he raced in the top company in the spring in Melbourne before a little let-up.”
The scratching of Charlie Boy had a small impact on the 2014 Magic Millions Guineas betting market, but Weinholt remains on the fourth line of betting at odds of $11.
