Claudia Jean was allocated gate one at the 2015 Magic Millions Classic barrier draw yesterday and co-trainer Tom Dabernig believes that the inside draw is an advantage for the talented filly in the $2 million event at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Stephen Baster has been booked to ride Claudia Jean in the 2015 Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Claudia Jean stamped herself as a leading contender for the Magic Millions Classic when she recorded a dominant three and a half lengths victory over Bosnia and Call Me Anything in the Christmas Season Plate (1000m) at Flemington on December 20 and she maintained her place at the top of Magic Millions Classic betting markets following the barrier draw yesterday.
Dabernig pointed out that horses coming from outside gates have had little success in the recent history of the Magic Millions Classic and he told RSN this morning that he was more than happy to draw barrier one with the Not A Single Doubt filly.
“We are certainly not complaining about barrier one,” Dabernig said.
“It is a very open race and I think barriers play a big key.
“I looked at the statistics and in the last eight years there hasn’t been a horse win from outside barrier nine, so I think drawing in is a big advantage for you on that track.
“With two-year-olds it can be a little bit of a lottery, but we are very happy with our filly going into the race and pleased with her and the gate that she has drawn.”
While Claudia Jean was one of the big winners of the 2015 Magic Millions Classic barrier draw, the David Hayes and Dabernig stable did not have as much luck with their other runner Miss Idyllic and she will jump from barrier 14 once the emergencies are removed.
Miss Idyllic has more racing experience than almost any other horse in the 2015 Magic Millions Classic field, having had three race starts in Melbourne and one in Sydney, and Dabernig believes that the Exceed And Excel’s racing experience can help her overcome her wide gate at the Gold Coast this weekend.
“David and I haven’t had a good discussion about how she will be ridden at this point, but she generally goes forward in a race and she has good speed,” Dabernig said.
“She has the benefit of being quiet well-rounded for a young two-year-old filly and she has had the benefit of a couple of trials in Sydney, a race in Sydney and a couple of runs in Melbourne and she has never run a bad race.
“She is very sound and tough and I would be pretty confident that she is the type of horse that could get up there and do well.”
Claudia Jean is currently available at 2015 Magic Millions Classic odds of $6.50, while Miss Idyllic is available at a quote of $14 to record her maiden race win in the lucrative event.
