STORM WARNING
Magic Millions favourite on song for $3m clash
I was frustrated we lost our other chance (Straight Charge), but Storm Boy looks a likely prospect. Adrian Bott Pictured left
Adrian Bott can’t poke any holes in the credentials of Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic hotpot Storm Boy as the “tough” and unbeaten colt prepares for an assault on next week’s $3m race.
Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse were frustrated to lose joint favourite Straight Charge after a setback, but hold a huge ace in the shape of the now dominant $2.50 favourite Storm Boy.
Bott flew to Brisbane on Tuesday to oversee the Magic Millions preparations of Storm Boy, the colt who was posted wide in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes but still showed his class to put away his rivals at Eagle Farm. “He has well and truly settled in to Queensland, he seems acclimatised and he ticks the 1200m box,” Bott said.
“He has been very impressive in his two runs.
“He is not one-dimensional as you saw at Eagle Farm the other day when he was a bit awkward getting out of the gates and then he had to do things the hard way. “He’s a pretty tough horse.” The last time Storm Boy was seen at the races was on December 23 and Bott has seen no need to race or trial the colt again before the $3m Magic Millions Classic on
January 13. The $460,000 son of Justify won at Eagle Farm three weeks after his debut win in Sydney and will again be three weeks between runs going into the Magic Millions.
“He had a pretty solid hitout over 1200m in his last run,” Bott said.
“He has shown enough improvement and we didn’t want to do too much more with him before the Magic Millions.
“He has stayed up in Queensland and had some gallops and he will have a couple more hit outs before race day.
“I was frustrated we lost our other chance (Straight Charge), but Storm Boy looks a likely prospect.
“The Wyong Magic Millions
winner (the Michael Freedman-trained Highness, $5 second favourite in Magic Millions) looks to have come back well and trialled up nicely in between his races.
“It’s never as straightforward as you think, but I’m very confident with Storm Boy’s preparation.”
Adam Hyeronimus has retained the ride on Storm Boy in another big moment for the jockey since returning from a lengthy ban from racing.
Hyeronimus worked as a labourer during his time away from racing and returned with a bang during the spring, winning the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes on Tom Kitten and the Group 1 Flight Stakes on Tropical Squall.