Toby on ride of life
TOBY Edmonds says Houtzen’s stunning journey to the Golden Slipper hasn’t changed his life – but it has certainly helped it.
The Gold Coast trainer will aim to win the Magic MillionsGolden Slipper double today at Rosehill with the filly who could add another $2 million to the $1.3 million she has already won.
The Magic Millions 2YO Classic win on the Gold Coast in January raised Edmonds’ profile, brought a windfall of clients and the obvious financial backing that he hopes will mean his successful run is nowhere near finished.
“I don’t know whether it changes our life but it will certainly help things a long a bit,” Edmonds said.
“Financially it helped our stable – it helped our profile a bit.
“We got a lot of following after it. It helps us at the yearling sales when we want to go and buy horses and it’s a little bit easier now to market and get rid of them.
“People know you can find a horse that goes OK. Hopefully the ride hasn’t finished here.
“If we can build on it, especially with ( Houtzen) that would be good but we have a lot of unraced two-year-olds that haven’t even stepped out yet that actually go pretty good as well.”
Edmonds had an inkling he was on to a good thing when he bought Houtzen for $105,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast.
But he only realised the extent of Houtzen’s prowess in her first two runs where she galloped away to win a barrier trial and her opening race.
“She wasn’t a filly that put a lot into her work,” said Edmonds, who also launched the career of Houtzen’s sire I Am Invincible.
“She could always work up when you wanted her too but I never really put a great deal of pressure on her until race day.
“She showed us on race day she could run so we don’t do much with her on the track to find out to be truthful.
“It was in trials and races when she actually showed us what ability she has got.”
Edmonds said Houtzen was looking even better now than when she won the Magic Millions but she has drawn another wide barrier in today’s $3.5 million race and could be hindered by the heavy track.
“It will be detrimental but you have to deal with it,” he said.
“But the barrier might not be too bad for her because the outside part of the track might be the best go and we might be able to navigate through it.”
Jockey Jeff Lloyd will complete some surveillance in the race before the Slipper when he rides Impavido in the Rosehill Guineas for Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker.
“If it’s heavy he will get a feel for where the best part of the track is,” Edmonds said.
While Houtzen is $4 favourite for the Slipper, her stablemate Sylpheed is $301 in the George Ryder Stakes.
“She would need a miracle to beat Winx,” he said.