Chris Waller’s nicely bred Lonhro colt from mare Red Fever Fundido is set for a trip up to the ‘glitter strip’ at Queensland’s Gold Coast Racecourse for the 2012 Magic Millions Classic in January after winning on debut at Rosehill on Saturday.
Nash Rawiller was impressed by debut win of Magic Millions-bound Fundido
Their sire Lonhro raced 23 times for the Ingham-owned Woodlands Stud Syndication, and Fundido is also raced by the Inghams under the Ingham Racing Syndicate banner.
Purchased for a moderate sum of $70,000, Fundido hinted at their ability late last month when winning a 900 metre barrier trial at Rosehill by a blistering eight lengths.
On Festival Stakes Day back at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Fundido ($2.50) lived up to the hype and beat home the Peter Snowden-trained favourite Lyric ($2.10) by one and three quarter lengths in the Blackwoods Sidchrome Handicap (1100m) , John O’Shea’s Brave Soul ($16) finishing off the trifecta a further half-length away third.
It was a good win on debut, but how they will stack up against some of the other smart two-year-olds also heading towards the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 14, 2012, is still a query considering they won in only a reasonable time of 1:05.18.
Race jockey Nash Rawiller, however, was pleased with the skilled performance and could have a tug-of-war on his mind come Magic Millions Day as whether to ride Fundido or one of the Gai Waterhouse-trained juveniles in the Classic.
“He is still learning but I was pretty taken with him,” Rawiller said.
“He was very professional.
“He would be right in the mix (for the Magic Millions Classic) up there and I’m not sure if we (the Waterhouse stable) have a colt.
“He is the sort of horse that will be there around (Golden) Slipper time.”
The $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) is the world’s richest race for two-year-olds and is the grand final autumn goal for the season’s best youngsters, running next year at Rosehill on Easter Saturday, April 7, 2012.
Waller confirmed that it was full steam ahead to the Classic after Saturday’s win, the top Sydney trainer describing Fundido as a “natural two-year-old”.
“We were 80 per cent to 90 per cent before that and he should go (to the Gold Coast) now,” Waller confirmed.
“We’ll plot a path to the Magic Millions.
“He was purchased up there and that win will get him into the race I think.”
The 2012 Magic Millions 2YO Classic is one of the best summer features and is run as part of a cracker day’s racing that makes up the BMW Magic Millions Race Day Carnival.
Nominations for the Magic Millions Classic, and the meeting’s other main attraction the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, will be released this Friday and published right here at Races.com.au.
Early futures markets are also likely to open at Luxbet by the end of the week, so ensure you are ready for the Magic Millions betting action by signing up with Luxbet now and be rewarded with a $400 bonus bet simply by making your first deposit and quoting the code BONUSBET!
