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Magic Millions Classic Favourite!

Written on the 9 January 2017

After a spectacular four-and-a-half-length victory at the Gold Coast on Saturday, locally trained filly, Houtzen will be the pre barrier draw favourite at the Magic Millions Classic on Saturday.

Houtzen, the daughter of I Am Invincible out of dam Set to Unleash, trained by Toby Edmonds and ridden by Jeff Lloyd, showed early speed from barrier four to lead and was never headed in the 1100 metre race. The current record for 2yo Houtzen is 2 wins from 2 starts with prizemoney of $80,400.00.

The win had betting operators slash their odds for the $2 million Magic Classic (1200m), which came just hours after Chris Waller all but confirmed a start for boom Sydney filly From Within.

The current race record for From Within is 1 win from 1 start with prizemoney of $74,000.00.

The Magic Millions picture was also made clearer by the defeat of Single Bullet in Sydney. Trainer, Gary Portelli ruled out a Millions start, even though the second prizemoney was enough to qualify the colt.

Houtzen needed to earn prizemoney to assure a start in the $2 Million Classic and after her 4 1/2 length win, she joins Chris Munce's unbeaten speedster Ours To Keep in giving Queensland a strong hand in the race.

Racing a week before the Magic Millions was never the preferred option for Houtzen trainer Toby Edmonds, who anticipated having a start in the race secured, a lot earlier.

"We got behind the eight-ball when a set of trials were cancelled here and that meant we couldn't start when we wanted to and had to wait another week or two," he said.

"So it hasn't been ideal the whole way through. It's nice to have an easy race a week out, but I would have liked to see her have a race and see how she responds. As it is, she's been able to get in the field through the back door."

Jeff Lloyd rode the filly in a gallop last Tuesday and told Edmonds she could go around the outside fence and still win on Saturday. Lloyd has been pleased with the improvement Houtzen has made from one start to the next.

"She has matured a lot these past few weeks," he said. "She was definitely immature before her first run, but that obviously did her the world of good. She's got a great temperament and coming here today, it was like she'd had a spell in between runs."

2yo filly From Within, sired by Not a Single Doubt from dam Zimaretto, pleased Waller on Saturday and she will be an acceptor for the race.

"She galloped at Rosehill over 800m and settled nicely in behind stablemate Religify," Waller said. "She was asked to improve from the 400m mark and quickened stylishly, pleasing rider Hugh Bowman."

"Hugh was happy with how she felt and her turn of foot. She may have another gallop on Tuesday if required and a final decision will be made on Tuesday morning but at this stage we are confident that she will race in the Magic Millions."

Waller said Bowman would take the mount, as he has always been the No.1 1 choice, but was suspended for her race debut.

2YO MAGIC MILLIONS

Houtzen $7-$3.60-$3.50 new favourite (after winning at the Gold Coast Saturday)

From Within $4.40

Invincible Star $7

Madeenaty $8.50

Ours To Keep $0

Others from $16

(Photo: Houtzen)

 


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Authorised Representative
(AR 001 272 774) under the TTSC's AFSL (288-213)