Jockey Tommy Berry and last year's Magic Millions Classic winner Karuta Queen
Jockey Tommy Berry is looking forward to Saturday week’s 2012 Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast, the in-form hoop confident he can take out the feature for the second successive year.
Twelve months ago Berry enjoyed a tidy string of wins aboard the Neville Layt-trained Karuta Queen including the Wyong – Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic double.
He will return to the Gold Coast Magic Millions Race Day again on January 14, this time with another prized ride in the main affair having been booked for the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) mount on Gai Waterhouse’s undefeated filly Driefontein.
Backing up from her three length win on debut at Randwick back in November, the promising daughter of Fastnet Rock maintained her flawless record wining the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on New Year’s Eve.
With Berry aboard Driefontein easily accounted for the field of fellow Magic Millions Classic hopes, the only horse presenting any kind of challenge being the second placed Sizzling who finished one and a half lengths away.
Surprisingly the Kelso Wood-trained Sizzling retained their position at the top of the 2012 Magic Millions Classic odds at Luxbet paying $3.60 in the latest markets.
Driefontein occupies the next line of betting at $4, but the top two fancies are the wrong way around according to Berry.
“If Sizzling couldn’t run us down at Doomben then I can’t see him doing it at the Gold Coast,” he said.
“You have to remember that my filly went into that race without a trial, she is going to take a lot of improvement out of the run and from how I see it there is no way Sizzling will be able to give us a start and beat us.”
Berry, who enjoyed a quartet of Doomben wins last Saturday, went on to comment about the similarities between Driefontein and last year’s Magic Millions Classic winner Karuta Queen.
“The way Driefontein travelled reminded me a lot of Karuta Queen,” he said.
“She felt like she was only going half pace in the run but she is able to get the rest of them off the bit and chasing.
“Once she gets into the straight she opens up and her sprint is devastating.
“I am starting to get excited about the Gold Coast.
“I think she will win the Millions for sure.”
Waterhouse was also left questioning the bookies as to why her filly was not at the top of the odds for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic following her record-breaking BJ McLachlan Stakes success (1:09.38).
“How could she have done any more?” Waterhouse said.
“She was only 95 per cent fit and will only get better.
“The second horse (Sizzling) ran a good race as well but nothing behind them could win the Magic Millions.”
Waterhouse is out for her fourth Magic Millions Classic win this year, Sydney’s lady of racing having previously won with Dance Hero (2004), Excellerator (2001) and Assertive Lad (2000).
Her other leading Magic Millions Classic 2012 chance lies in her Redoute’s Choice filly No Looking Back who is equal fourth favourite at $11 through Luxbet along with the Mark Kavanagh-trained Alezan Thunder and John O’Shea’s Wyong Magic Millions Classic winner Hoss Amor.
Gerald Ryan’s Rosehill winner last Saturday Amorino is the only other runner behind Sizzling and Driefontein at single figures paying $4.60.
To view the full and updated 2012 Magic Millions 2YO Classic all-in markets, head to Luxbet now.
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