Jockey Chris Munce has a tough riding decision to make on the $2m Magic Millions Classic (2yo, 1200m) after Discreet impressively won the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1000m) at Eagle Farm today.
Discreet joined Sizzling as equal Classic favourite when TABsportsbet turned her in from $26 to $4.
Sizzling finished second in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1000m) fourty minutes earlier with Munce aboard.
Both horses ran similar race times, Discreet in 57.67 sec while Sizzling was beaten a neck by Noogoora Burr in 57.71 sec.
The Calaway Gal pre-race warnings on favourite Snipzu proved well founded.
Trainer Liam Birchley was worried about barrier 15 and the fact that Snipzu was having its first start since October 22.
Jockey Glen Colless was caught three-wide without cover outside leaders Dysfunction and Blue Mini.
At the turn Lady Colours moved up four wide after trailing Snipzu into the race.
Blue Mini folded first giving Discreet room at the 200m to go between Dysfunction and Snipzu.
The winner impressively drew clear in the final stages.
Dysfunction held on well while Snipzu toughed it out to gain third.
The Bruce Hill-trained Lady Colours dropped back at the 300m mark but came again near the line to gain fourth.
Its stablemate Edge Of Love ran on well from last to gain fifth.
TABsportsbet lengthened Snipzu from $6.50 to $13 for the Classic.
Munce was impressed with Discreet’s victory but refused to commit to the filly for the Gold Coast feature on January 14.
“She was never going to get beaten,” he said.
“It was just a matter of her getting the right splits.
“Queensland can be thankful we have two really top chances for the Magic Millions.”
Munce will have to make his decision quickly as Discreet and Sizzling are due to meet in the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | DISCREET | Kelly Schweida | Chris Munce | 1 | 54kg | $4.80 | |
2 | 10 | DYSFUNCTION | John P Thompson | Timothy Bell (a) | 3.5L | 4 | 54kg | $15 |
3 | 1 | SNIPZU | Liam Birchley | Glen Colless | 3.9L | 12 | 57kg | $2.05F |
4 | 4 | LADY COLOURS | Bruce W Hill | Jim Byrne | 4.1L | 10 | 54kg | $21 |
5 | 12 | SOOKIE | John P Thompson | Ric McMahon | 5.1L | 8 | 54kg | $5.50 |
6 | 6 | YOU’RE MINE | David Kelly | Matthew Palmer | 5.3L | 3 | 54kg | $21 |
7 | 3 | DOUBTFILLY | Stuart Kendrick | Adrian Coome | 6.5L | 5 | 54kg | $9 |
8 | 13e | BLUE MINI | Lorraine Erhart | Anthony Erhart | 8.3L | 6 | 54kg | $26 |
9 | 14e | TIME TO EXCEED | Norm Hilton | Ms Kristy Banks | 13.3L | 7 | 54kg | $18 |
10 | 11 | NETT | Todd Austin | Micheal Hellyer | 14L | 2 | 54kg | $81 |
11 | 9 | REFINED OPTION | Paddy Cunningham | Joe Bowditch | 18.3L | 11 | 54kg | $101 |
12 | 7 | EDGE OF LOVE | Bruce W Hill | Jason Taylor | 25.3L | 9 | 54kg | $61 |
15e | AVERIL’S DANCER | Trevor Miller | scr | 0 | ||||
5 | AUCHENFLOWER | Kevin Kemp | scr | 0 | ||||
8 | CHANGE OFTEN | John P Thompson | scr | 0 |