Le Chef earnt the final place in the 2015 Magic Millions Classic Field when he took out the First National Handicap (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 3 and Sunshine Coast-based trainer Darryl Hansen is thrilled to have a runner in the $2 million event.
Le Chef moved into the Magic Millions Classic field with a professional win at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Le Chef made his racing debut with a fifth place finish in the Breakfast Creek Hotel Handicap (1050m) at Doomben on November 29 and stamped himself as a horse to watch with a dominant four and a half lengths win at Ipswich on Christmas Eve before his First National Handicap win.
Hansen told Sky Racing HQ that it was not his original plan to run Le Chef a week before the Magic Millions Classic, but he revealed that he had given the Exceed And Excel gelding a very quiet well and is confident that he can produce another strong performance in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast this weekend.
“That was our main aim to get into the race and everybody was very excited,” Hansen said.
“He got balloted out of a race in Brisbane three weeks ago and that was my main aim because that would have got him into the field.
“They balloted us out, so I had to change tact and it happened that we had to back up pretty quickly.
“I am sitting on a bucket in the middle of the paddock, while he is wandering around me at the moment.
“He is going to pick grass for the week and take it very easy.”
Hansen happiness to have a runner in the 2015 Magic Millions Classic was only multiplied at the barrier draw yesterday after Le Chef drew ideally in barrier three.
Le Chef will jump from the inside group of horses that includes favourites Frequendly (barrier four), Claudia Jean (barrier one) and Wicked Intent (barrier five) and Hansen is confident that his star juvenile will receive a lovely run in the early stages of the race.
“That was excellent,” Hansen said of the barrier draw results.
“I was at the barrier trials at the time and they texted me to let me know and I was very excited to pull the three there.
“The form is all drawn around us and from the three we should get a perfect sit and hopefully Luke will take care of that anyway.”
Le Chef is currently available at 2015 Magic Millions odds of $21, while Frequendly and Wicked Intent are locked in a battle for favouritism at a quote of $6.
