Different story for Nolen on Finance Tycoon
APPROACHING a decade on from riding the mighty Black Caviar to win in Queensland, jockey Luke Nolen is plotting to win Saturday’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic in the last 50m.
Black Caviar generally had her races in the bag a fair way from home, such as when she won the 13th race of her famed 25-race undefeated streak in the 2011 Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben when she ran past her main rival Hay List.
But it will be a different story on the Gold Coast on Saturday with Nolen drawing
the outside barrier as he tries to win the Classic on Lindsay Park-trained colt Finance Tycoon.
Nolen has a huge opinion of Finance Tycoon, evidenced by the Victorian’s decision to come to Queensland despite the colt being his only ride on the Gold Coast last Saturday and that will be the case again this Saturday.
The barrier draw (21) has made things more difficult for Nolen but Ladbrokes have high respect for Finance Tycoon, keeping her safe enough at the $12 mark.
Nolen is heartened by the fact several other fancies have also drawn wide and says he will leave it until late to make what he hopes will be a winning swoop in the 1200m dash.
“I will ride him to find a spot with a bit of cover and try and win it in the last 50m, hopefully a few of them are coming back to me well before that,” Nolen said.
“There will be more pressure than there was when he won on the Gold Coast last week and the Magic Millions is always a battle of attrition and my bloke will be strong at the end of six furlongs.
“It looks an even race and it has been made more so by the barrier draw.
“I will need some luck but so do a number of the others, with even luck in the run this colt will run very well.”
The Gold Coast stay is something of a working holiday for Nolen who has his wife and kids with him on the tourist strip.
On Saturday, Nolen is hoping to create more happy memories in Queensland after cherishing the time he rode Black Caviar to win in Brisbane.
Crowds packed Doomben that day and they were exhilarating scenes which captivated the whole of Queensland.
“It was pretty freakish that day,” Nolen remembers.
“Going on to the track, the crowd was cheering her (Black Caviar) section by section and it was quite surreal.”