Prompt Return has been included in the 2014 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic field and will have the opportunity to maintain his unbeaten record in the $200,000 event at Ballarat on Saturday.
Prompt Return scored a most impressive win in the 2014 Maribyrnong Plate during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Prompt Return made his racing debut with a comfortable victory in the Elmore RC Plate (900m) at Bendigo on October 18 and he stamped himself as a horse to watch when he led all the way to record an impressive win in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day.
Trainer Danny O’Brien was thrilled with the effort of Prompt Return in the Maribyrnong Plate and he confirmed after his impressive win that he believes the Beneteau colt still has plenty of improvement ahead of him heading into the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic.
“He’s a very nice colt,” O’Brien said.
“He went to Bendigo for what was a barrier trial really and he came home and he has improved a lot in the three weeks since then.
“He’s been very dominant today in what has historically been a good guide for the two-year-old season.”
Another horse that will be taking winning form into the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic is Patrick Payne-trained Atalanta Miss.
The promising filly was well-backed in the lead-up to her racing debut in The Orange Spot Bakery Plate (1000m) at Morphettville Parks on October and stamped herself as a Magic Millions contender with a professional win.
Miss Idyllic is yet to record a maiden race win, but outside of Prompt Return is the only other horse in the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic that has already had two race starts after finishing second in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on October 11 and fourth in the Group 3 Emirates Airline Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
Gai Waterhouse-trained Carriages was well-backed in the lead-up to her racing debut in the Betting Season Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on November 8, but was never able to take control of the race and tired in the final stages of the race, while Maribyrnong Plate runner-up Old Trieste and David Hayes-trained Moral Outrage are the only other horses with racing experience that have been included in the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic field.
Debutants Bella Dentro (by Hinchinbrook), Captain Crackerjack (by Captain Gerrard), Eclat (by Beneteau) and Rise To Fame (by Rothesay) round out the Magic Millions Clockwise Classic field.
