Magic Millions hype almost reaches fever pitch in Brisbane this weekend with the running of a mouth-watering BJ McLachlan Stakes over 1200m.
It looms as one of the best two-year-old races so far this season, and pits the classy Oakleigh Girl against Gai Waterhouse’s boom filly Echo Gal and Wyong Magic Millions winner Unencumbered.
The buzz around Echo Gal hasn’t dimmed since her impressive debut win at Warwick Farm earlier this month, but I’m not so convinced just yet.
Granted she finished almost four lengths clear, breezing up behind a speedy leader and powering home from the 100m, but she faces a much sterner test today.
The times out of that Warwick Farm race were nothing special yet Echo Gal has come up a $2.80 favourite for this one.
As is so often the case, the Gai Waterhouse factor has made sure that price is a lot skinnier than it probably should be and with Chris Munce jumping on board it’s easy to see why the punters have been drawn in.
Similarly priced is Oakleigh Girl who has won both career starts to this point running good time on each occasion.
She was too good on Cup day at Flemington winning a Group 3 on debut then did enough to win the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes here two weeks ago.
I’d expect she can improve again today, especially with Craig Newitt up from Victoria to ride her again.
Bjorn Baker’s Unencumbered also must be considered having won three of four to this point, including the rich Magic Millions race at Wyong nine days ago.
He’s a hulking colt with maturity beyond his years and should run the trip right out.
I couldn’t possibly take $2.80 about Echo Gal in this race.
We’ll look to the race prior for our banker today, and go back to The White Hope who was too good at this track and trip three weeks ago in similar grade.
He went straight to the front in that race, and kicked well clear at the 300m, finishing 1.8L to the good when he arrived at the winning post.
There’s a bit of extra weight on his back today but he can improve again third-up and no doubt he’ll be the one to catch again.
Expect Stradon to run another strong race after winning here over 1200m two weeks ago but if anything there’s probably a slight query over the 1350m with him.
Regular is the other one in the mix, and he’s never far away although he does know how to find a couple better.
Stick with The White Hope.
The value race today looks to be the Vo Rogue Plate for the three-year-olds over 1350m.
Glamour Brisbane filly Missy Longstocking has been backed into $2.80, and that concerns me a little given her third placing over 1200m here three weeks ago.
She’s well below the form she showed in Melbourne in winning the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) back in October and that seems to be what the punters have latched onto.
She jumped as odds-on favourite here three weeks back and went to the lead from out wide, but couldn’t quite hold on with Enquare and Splendora running past her late on.
Enquare has now won three in a row and should only improve today third-up out to this trip.
Missy Longstocking meanwhile has been up for a fair while now and is unplaced in her only start over this trip.
I can’t ignore the $5 about Enquare in this one. She’s the one to beat again for mine.
BANKER: Race 5 No 2 The White Hope @ $3
BET OF THE DAY: Race 7 No 13 Enquare @ $5
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 6 No 8 Echo Gal @ $2.80
