Magic Millions Trophy 2016: Worthy Cause At His Pet Trip

Worthy Cause will return to 1800 metres in the 2016 Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast on Saturday and trainer John Zielke is very bullish about the entire’s chances at his pet distance.

Worthy Cause is the last horse to beat Emirates Stakes winner Turn Me Loose. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Worthy Cause is the last horse to beat Emirates Stakes winner Turn Me Loose. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Worthy Cause took out the Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) and performed well in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) and Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival before he returned to the races in Brisbane with an unlucky third in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1615m) at Doomben on December 19.

Zielke was thrilled with the performance of Worthy Cause in the Magic Millions Trophy and he believes that the Choisir entire has plenty of factors in his favour ahead of the $1 million event this weekend.

“We are very happy with the horse,” Zielke said.

“We came back from Melbourne and he had a few weeks spell and then we put him back into work.

“He was very unlucky last start in the Bernborough Handicap, he was tightened for room and the horse beside him actually stood on his plate and he did the last 800 of the race with one wheel missing.

“He still hit the line very strongly and I was very pleased.

“My comments were look out at the 1800 next start.

“He loves this trip – 1800 metres and 2000 is his pet distance and he can put himself where he wants to be.

“The Gold Coast track seems to suit this horse.”

Worthy Cause was allocated barrier four when the 2016 Magic Millions Trophy field was released earlier in the week and Zielke believes that the barrier draw gives jockey Luke Dittman plenty of options in the early stages of the race.

Zielke said that he is to do up a proper speed map, but he is likely to wait until he sees how the Gold Coast track plays tomorrow before he decides how he would like to see Worthy Cause ridden in the Magic Millions Trophy.

“It is a lovely alley,” Zielke said.

“The three best horses in the market have actually drawn one, two and three and it is going to be an interesting race.

“We really haven’t done a speed map – a few horses get back, a few horses get forward and we are capable of doing both.

“A lot of it will actually play out on the actual track condition of the day.”

Worthy Cause is currently available at 2016 Magic Millions Trophy odds of $5.50 with Ladbrokes and he is on the third line of betting behind Centre Pivot ($3.70) and Tinto ($4.80).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.