Vienna Royale An Unknown At Magic Millions Guineas Trip

Vienna Royale will be stepping up to 1400 metres for the first time in the 2015 Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on Saturday, but trainer Tony Gollan is hopeful that the talented gelding will be able to run out the trip strongly.

Vienna Royale finished sixth behind Unencumbered (pictured) in the 2014 edition of the Magic Millions Classic. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Vienna Royale finished sixth behind Unencumbered (pictured) in the 2014 edition of the Magic Millions Classic. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Vienna Royale has raced exclusively between 1000 metres and 1200 metres since he made his racing with an impressive win at Doomben in October of 2013, but Gollan told Racing Ahead that the 1400 metre Magic Millions Guineas has been the summer goal for the Falvelon gelding since he finished fifth in the Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap (1100m) at Doomben on November 29.

Gollan said that he was happy with the way Vienna Royale hit the line when he returned to winning form in the Hamilton Hotel Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on New Year’s Day and the leading Queensland trainer said that performance gave him confident that the three-year-old will be able to see out the trip in the Magic Millions Guineas.

“I feel that he will get it,” Gollan said.

Chris Munce rode him first-up and said that he would run 1400 metres easily this horse, so we always had this race in our minds.

“I wanted to see him be strong over 1200 and I saw that the other day.

“He is a real barrier horse and he needs the right conditions at the track on the day.”

Vienna Royale made a winning start to his racing career as a two-year-old and he finished a credible sixth behind Unencumbered in the 2014 Magic Millions Classic (1200m), but he failed to fire during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and made a slow start to his racing campaign.

Gollan admits that Vienna Royale’s loss of form had been frustrating, but is hopeful that the gelding has the talent to record back-to-back wins for the first time in his racing career this weekend.

“He has been a really frustrating horse,” Gollan said.

“He hit the ground running as a two-year-old and he lost his way for one reason or another.

“It was good to see him bounce back the other day and he was really good.

“The best thing about it was that he was really strong late.

“Going to the 1400 is definitely uncharted waters, but if we get a dry track he will certainly give a lot of cheek.”

Vienna Royale is currently available at 2015 Magic Millions Guineas odds of $41, while stablemate Hijack Hussy is a clear favourite at a quote of $3.50.

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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.