Eagle Farm trainer Chris Munce is hoping his smart colt Ours To Keep can earn enough prizemoney on Saturday to cement a spot in the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 14.
Jockey Damian Browne and trainer Chris Munce, above, will team up with Ours To Keep and Champ Elect at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Ours To Keep was an impressive debut winner in a 1050m Doomben two year old Plate on October 1 and has been installed the $2.25 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Listed $100,000 Phelan Ready Stakes (1110m) at Doomben on the weekend.
The Seidnazar colt earned $64,700 for his first up win but Munce will love some more prizemoney to guarantee a spot in the glamour Gold Coast two year old race.
“It looks as though they will have enough prize money to make the Millions field. But you don’t know because the Sydney and Melbourne horses are racing for more prize money,” Munce told AAP.
“They just need to win a Saturday race and, in some cases run a second, and they jump over our horses.”
“But I can’t do much about that. All I can do is get my horses ready for the race. I would like to win on Saturday but minor prize money at the least would be great.”
Ours To Keep has drawn barrier three in the Phelan Ready Stakes for the colts and geldings and Munce will also saddle up Champ Elect against the fillies in the Listed $100,000 Calaway Gal Stakes (1110m).
Champ Elect is also heading towards the Magic Millions 2yo Classic and has drawn barrier seven in the field reduced to ten runners with the early scratchings of Initialize and Pricing Power with Damian Browne to ride both the Munce juveniles.
The Choisir filly is also a winner at her only race start when she scored a narrow victory in an 1110m two year old Handicap at Doomben on November 5 and Munce is hoping the two youngsters can remain unbeaten after Saturday.
“But with two-year-olds more than any horse you never know until they perform. So we will have a better idea after Saturday,” Munce said.
Our To Keep and Champ Elect are both listed at $17 for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Early market order for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $7 Madeenaty, $9 Invincible Star, $10 Chauffeur, $12 Debonairly, $15 Falconic, $17 Ours To Keep, Cellargirl, Champ Elect, $18 From Within, $26 Bring It Home Pop, Eshtiraak, Despatch, Pretty Fast, Invader, American Genius, Chosen Assassin, Condor, End Of The Road, Exceeds, Goodfella, Hualalai, Ready For Glory, Regal Embrace, Single Bullet, $31 Nistaan, Madam Moustache, All Too Huiying, Augustus, Colosimo, Grande Vitesse, Legal Girl, Madonnica, Ruler, $34 or better the rest.
