Kheir’s sensational spring can finish with Magic carpet ride
LEVIATHAN owner Ozzie Kheir’s insane spring carnival included wins in the Victorian Derby, Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup, and he caught Covid in the space of a few weeks. Now, he is looking to add a Magic Millions 2YO Classic to the list with spruik filly Coolangatta.
The dominant Gimcrack winner has been cooling her heels on the beaches at Newcastle but will trial in Sydney on Tuesday ahead of her trip north to Brisbane, where she will kick off her campaign on Boxing Day in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes, three weeks before the $2m grand final on the Gold Coast.
Kheir has emerged as a dominant force in Australian racing and admits he will never have a run like he just experienced, which started with Sierra Sue’s victory in the Group 1 Rupert Clarke in September and culminated in Verry Elleegant winning the Melbourne Cup seven weeks later.
With a bout of Covid-19 briefly stopping him in his tracks, Kheir says the Magic Millions is the next target.
“I have never won a Magic Millions race so it is one to tick off the list,” he said.
“I think it was seven weeks or something stupid that I will never do again. It was a great spring that started with Sierra Sue, she won the Rupert Clarke, then Incentivise won the Makybe Diva and the Turnbull and Caulfield Cup – it was a bloody fantastic run.
“My body never really kept up with it all so I was probably fortunate to catch Covid on Cup Day to force me into 14 days of holidays. I probably needed it.”
With James McDonald opting not to ride in the lucrative Hong Kong International Races next Sunday to give himself enough time in Australia to ride Coolangatta on Boxing Day in Brisbane, the wraps on the daughter of Written Tycoon are obviously big.
“I know the stable love her and they think she’s very good, but they also felt that before she had her run,” Kheir said.
“I have had a couple of good two-year-olds but I try not to get too carried away with them because you get excited then another good one comes around and knocks you off and you think you’ll never beat it.
“I think she might be something special though and hopefully the excitement continues in a couple of weeks’ time and then into the Magic Millions.”