Trainer keeps the faith
Wide draw setback for Magic hope
RACING: Trainer Tony Gollan remains upbeat and bookies expect punters to stick, despite unbeaten Queenslander Ef Troop drawing poorly for Saturday’s Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at the Gold Coast.
Ef Troop came up with gate 18 for the $2 million feature but will come into 13 alley if none of the five race emergencies gain a start.
The son of Spirit Of Boom has been at the head of Millions betting since his brilliant race debut at Doomben in November which put Gollan within tantalising reach of his first Two-Year-Old Classic win.
“I suppose he could be a bit closer in but really I think it is no disaster,” the former Toowoomba trainer said after yesterday’s draw where his second representative Outback Barbie drew barrier six.
Early co-favourite Sunlight was also out of barrier draw luck after coming up with gate 15.
Bookmaker Gerard Daffy from UBET believes both runners will almost certainly end up back where they were pre-draw, such is their popularity with punters.
“Looking at the bets before the draw, the only two they wanted were Ef Troop and Sunlight and, even though neither is drawn ideally, I can see a scenario where both get back to their original prices,” Daffy said.
“We saw it with Houtzen last year — she drifted initially on her carpark draw then was backed for an absolute stack on the day and she duly obliterated them.”
Newcastle colt Jonka — another Spirit Of Boom rep — was the big winner and major post-draw market mover, trimming up from 5.00 to 4.50 on the back of barrier three.
Toowoomba stables look set to miss a start in the feature with Clifford Park’s sole representative Spirit’s Pride named third emergency for the race.
Spirit’s Pride drew gate one for trainer Michael Nolan