Bright start for Into The Abyss
INTO The Abyss has possibly left her run too late to qualify for the Magic Millions carnival, but trainer John Thompson is not too concerned.
The filly made an impressive start to her racing career at Randwick yesterday, beating her fellow two-year-olds over 1000 metres.
Thompson, who took over training the filly when James Cummings moved to Godolphin, conceded the 16-strong Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 13 could be out of calculations after Into The Abyss banked $27,460.
“She probably won’t get into the field with that prizemoney,” Thompson said. The trainer said the ownership group headed by Perth-based surgeon Dr Michael Alexeeff was relaxed about missing the Magic Millions.
“We sort of knew we were behind the eight-ball and we didn’t want to rush her. The owners are breeders so they’d rather get black-type,” he said.
Thompson said Into The Abyss would probably head for a freshen-up and target blacktype races in early autumn like the Group Three Widden Stakes (1100m) on February 3.
Thompson’s association with the filly’s owner began when he was foreman for Bart Cummings at Leilani Lodge where Dr Alexeeff had horses.
“I worked with Doc at Bart’s and when James went to Godolphin they had to spread their horses out and this filly came to me.”
Into The Abyss ($6) surged clear under Glyn Schofield to leave $2.70 favourite and fellow debutant Lilith leading the chasers, 1-1/4 lengths from the winner with Vainity ($7.50) a long-neck third.
“I was a little bit worried she might be a bit soft. She looked a little bit pretty but she’s a nice filly and quality takes you a long way,” Thompson said.
The Thompson-trained One More Honey won the corresponding race a year ago and went on to win the Group Two Sweet Embrace Stakes.