Magical moment in first Guineas
“IT was a race that was never in doubt.”
That is the assessment of Gold Coast Turf Club Hall of Famer and life member Alan Bailey who won the inaugural Gold Coast Guineas in 2000 with Make Mine Magic.
Ahead of the 20th running of the race tomorrow at one of the Gold Coast’s feature meetings, the 80-year-old former trainer has recounted his history-making win and partnership with a horse bought for $12,000 and who went on to win $942,300.
“I do remember it pretty well because it was a race on the Gold Coast that you wanted to win. It was a prestigious race and still is today,” Bailey said.
“It was pretty special to win any races but you like to win on your own track.”
The Guineas win was the sixth straight win for Make Mine Magic who boasted an unblemished racing record right up until the victory.
“At that stage he was as good as any horse running around in that class in Queensland,” Bailey said.
“He showed enough promise to be worthy of a run in the race, that is for sure.
“Fortunately enough he was good enough to win.”
Gold Coast jockey Glen Colless, who was Bailey’s stable rider for 15 years, was the man in the saddle again for him that day.
“He sat back in the field and from recollection Make Mine Magic was about fourth or fifth,” said Bailey, who won nine Gold Coast trainers premiership and four metropolitan titles in Brisbane.
“He got to the outside in the straight and he won quite easily. It was a race that was never in doubt.”
Make Mine Magic’s successful racing career was slightly delayed. He was bought privately after being passed in at a sale but suffered from a foot problem early.
“He was a late comer because he had a bad foot that gave him a fair bit of trouble so we had to give him a fair bit of time. But from day one he had plenty of ability,” Bailey said. “When we started to break him in, he finished up with an underrun sole in his foot and it just got worse.
“We had to cut it away, put him away and let it grow out which took months before he was able to go to the track.
“It was probably good for him because it gave him plenty of time to grow.”
Make Mine Magic won 14 races in his career, including the Group 2 Grand Prix and Group 2 Byrne Hart, Group 3 Summer Stakes and Listed Bernborough Handicap.
Colless, 52, will ride at the Guineas meeting tomorrow but does not have a mount in the big race at this stage.
AT THAT STAGE HE WAS AS GOOD AS ANY HORSE RUNNING AROUND IN THAT CLASS IN QUEENSLAND
ALAN BAILEY (ABOVE)