Real Surreal Ready To Win In Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap

Trainer Kelso Wood is confident that 2013 Magic Millions Classic winner Real Surreal can return to winning form when she contests the 2016 Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap at the Gold Coast tomorrow.

Real Surreal has the chance to return to winning form in the 2016 Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Real Surreal has the chance to return to winning form in the 2016 Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Real Surreal scored her first race win in over two years when she took out the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) at Ipswich on June 13 and she returned to the races with a strong second behind Slots in the Listed Just Now Quality (1350m) at Doomben on December 5.

The daughter of Real Saga could finish no better than eighth in the Listed Goldmarket Quality (1300m) at the Gold Coast on Boxing Day, but she was caught wide throughout and Wood told Racing Ahead that he is confident she is ready to peak in the 2016 Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap this weekend.

“Her two runs have been fantastic without winning and she will probably come in three barriers,” Wood said.

“I am expecting her to race very well.

“She probably won’t be that far back.

“As long as she can get a clear go at them in the straight than that will be good.”

Real Surreal has previously been given opportunities at Group 1 level in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) and Wood has further Group 1 goals for the five-year-old.

Wood said that Real Surreal will head for a short stint in the spelling paddock following the Magic Millions Filles & Mares Handicap and could be set for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) during the 2016 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

“I will give her a let-up and then bring her back,” Wood said.

“We will probably try and get her in the Stradbroke or something like that and some of the other races over the Winter Carnival here.”

Real Surreal beat the likes of Sweet Idea and Missy Longstocking to take out the Magic Millions Classic in 2013 and she was placed in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) as a three-year-old, but she has generally been unable to recapture the form that she showed as a juvenile.

She is currently available at 2016 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Handicap odds of $18 with Ladbrokes, while Private Secretary ($4.60) is a clear favourite from I Am Zelady ($6.50), Tina Melina ($8) and Sino Eagle ($9).

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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.