Undefeated Gold Coast filly Houtzen jumped to the top of the betting for the $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) on her home track on Saturday after another runaway win last weekend.
Trainer Toby Edmonds, above, will saddle up Houtzen in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Houtzen raced up to her $1.35 rating with a four and a half lengths all of the way win in an 1100m 2yo Handicap at the Gold Coast last Saturday and was immediately elevated to the top of the market order for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Ladbrokes.com.au have Houtzen as the $3.60 favourite ahead of the Chris Waller trained From Within at $4.20 and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian’s Bott’s filly Invincible Star at $7.50.
Houtzen made it two wins from two starts after scoring just as impressively on debut in a 1050m 2yo Handicap at Doomben on December 24 but trainer Toby Edmonds admits that the filly’s preparation for her big assignment next weekend has not gone as smoothly as he would have liked.
“We got behind the eight-ball when a set of trials were cancelled here and that meant we couldn’t start when we wanted to and had to wait another week or two,” Edmonds told The Courier-Mail.
“So it hasn’t been ideal the whole way through. It’s nice to have an easy race a week out, but I would have liked to see her have a race and see how she responds.”
“As it is, she’s been able to get in the field through the back door.”
Premiership winning jockey Jeff Lloyd let Houtzen stride to the front and after setting the pace without being pressured, Lloyd let her accelerate at the top of the straight before easing her down to a canter to record a very impressive dress rehearsal for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
“She has matured a lot these past few weeks,” Lloyd said.
“She was definitely immature before her first run, but that obviously did her the world of good. She’s got a great temperament and coming here today (Saturday), it was like she’d had a spell in between runs.”
Queensland also has a great chance to win the Magic Millions 2yo Classic with the Chris Munce trained Ours To Keep on the third line of betting at $8.50 alongside of the Lindsay Park trained Madeenaty.
Ours To Keep is also undefeated and made it three wins from three starts with a convincing win in the Group 3 $200,000 Lilivale Stud B.J. McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on December 31.
Market order for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.60 Houtzen, $4.20 From Within, $7.50 Invincible Star, $8.50 Madeenaty, Ours To Keep, $17 Falconic, $21 Champ Elect, Chauffeur, Goodfella, $26 Cellargirl, $31 Bring It Home Pop, $41 Colosimo, Debonairly, $51 All Too Huiying, Darhad, Invader, Madam Moustache, Tiara Star.
