Magic Millions Carnival at Gold Coast Highlight of January Racing
The Magic Millions 2YO Classic is set to go on Gold Coast Saturday coming, with a field of 16 plus four emergencies.
The Magic Millions carnival attracts a lot of attention, as the month of January, with rare exception, is a sparse month for Thoroughbred racing at Group level. There are only five Group races during the month and nothing further until the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Group 3 Blue Diamond Previews at Caulfield.
That leaves the festivities at Gold Coast the centre-stage spotlight.
The 2YO Classic seems to get more attention, but the 3YO race just prior will offer similar prize money. The dividends might not be as large, but that is to be expected, as these horses in the 3YO race have some results on which to base prices.
The 3YO Classic field seems to be a proposition of Alligator Blood ($1.75), and then the rest, as there is a gulf of major proportions back to the second line to the $14 quote we found for Diamond Thunder. Mark Newnham’s gelding from Dawn Approach has drifted from his opening price of $12, due in part, perhaps, to a three-length loss to Alligator Blood in the Vo Rogue Plate.
Alligator Blood has seven wins from eight starts and we very much doubt that he will be crying alligator tears at the end of the race, although we repeat, adamantly, that anyone who punts based on our observations is the larger fool.
By contrast, the 2YO race will offer $6 for the favourite Farnan.
Aim shares the same price, and then it is King’s Legacy for $7.
The top three chances have done nothing but win, but as we often say, punting on juveniles is not far removed from buying lottery tickets and our best advice is that if you have to bet, bet responsibly and enjoy the day.
We ourselves will have our pocketbooks tightly clutched and some of our bank notes are pre-decimal and have not seen the light since the £ symbol was replaced by the $ symbol.