Inside barrier gives Madeenaty top chance in Magic Millions 2yo Classic

Victorian filly Madeenaty has drawn the perfect barrier to give Lindsay Park co-trainer David Hayes his best chance of winning his first $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Madeenaty, above, will jump from the inside barrier in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Madeenaty, above, will jump from the inside barrier in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Exceed And Excel filly came up gate one at the barrier draw at the Surfers Paradise beachfront on Tuesday morning and Hayes can see the classy filly taking full advantage of the rails drew.

“We really hoped she would get an inside gate because we would love to take a sit with her,” Hayes told Racing.com.

“She doesn’t enjoy leading so if she can follow something and then pick them up in the straight that is probably ideal.”

“One is good if the inside is not off.”

Hayes, who trains in partnership with his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, rates Madeenaty as the best filly he has brought to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic and is giving her a great chance to give him the opportunity to hold up the winning trophy for the first time.

“I think I have run second five times and ran third about three,” Hayes said.

“She is probably the best filly I have had up here. Mahaasin was pretty good, she won a Blue Diamond and ran second.”

“Lindsay Park has won it, but that was Peter (brother Peter Hayes), not me, so I would love to win it.”

Madeenaty was very impressive in winning on debut down the Flemington straight in the Listed $120,000 Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington October 2 but then suffered a shock defeat as the odds on favourite when third behind Magic Millions 2yo Classic rival Invincible Star and Lucky Louie in the Group 3 $150,000 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on November 1.

Hayes then gave Madeenaty a short let up before heading to Wyong to score a narrow win with regular rider Mark Zahra in the saddle in the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions 2yo (1100m) on December 22 and he has been very pleased with her progress since returning to Lindsay Park.

“We went to Wyong, a tough little track to go first time for a Victorian. She got through it, she won it, not that impressively, but the work she has done since at Lindsay Park has been absolutely first class,” Hayes said.

“She did a spectacular piece of work with Churchill Dancer, a Group 2 winner, an older horse, and she had a cruisy gallop Monday, got on the plane and arrived here at five o’clock this morning (Tuesday) and was straight into her feed.”

“So she will just have a couple of quiet days here and hopefully she can blast off on Saturday.”

Madeenaty is well in the betting for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at $7.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Houtzen at $3.90, From Within at $4 and Ours To Keep at $6.50.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.