Magic Millions Joint Favourite to Jumpout Friday

Ben Dorries - Wednesday January 3

Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic co-favourite EF Troop will jumpout at Eagle Farm on Friday morning in his last serious piece of work before next week's rich juvenile feature.

Tony Gollan's unbeaten gelding will be ridden by his race jockey Matt McGillivray in the 800m jumpout on the A-Grass at Eagle Farm.

Spirit of Boom is the sire of Ef TroopGollan could have opted to trial the son of Spirit Of Boom at Deagon on Thursday but the prospect of some rain in Brisbane in the next 24 hours – plus the prospect of slightly cooler weather on Friday – swayed him to the Eagle Farm jumpout.

Ef Troop, who smashed his rivals by more than five lengths in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes at Doomben last month, shares Magic Millions favouritism at $4 with David Atkins' unbeaten colt Jonker.

"The jumpout on Friday will be EF Troop's main bit of work before the Millions, and he will probably just stretch his legs next week," Gollan said.

"He won't head down the Gold Coast until (Magic Millions) raceday but he is already familiar with the place, having won a trial there (by 20 lengths).

"I am really happy with EF Troop and he has been a remarkably straightforward horse to train at this stage.

"With 10 days to go, it's just a matter of dotting the i's and crossing the t's with him."

Stablemate Outback Barbie, rated a $26 Magic Millions chance, is also likely to jumpout at Eagle Farm on Friday and Gollan is hoping to get them in different heats.

"I don't really want them racing each other if at all possible," Gollan said.

Rising star McGillivray has been confirmed for the EF Troop ride in the Magic Millions in what could be the biggest payday of the Brisbane jockey's career.

"The connections made that decision after his last run, and I'm sure Matt will give him a good ride in the Millions," Gollan said.

"To be honest, we didn't hear too much from many other jockeys about the ride and we certainly didn't go chasing any other jockeys."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Spirit Of Boom Mare Opens Stakes Account
Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke had a good day at the office at Doomben on Saturday, winning the opening race with the debutant Red Stiletto before closing out the programme with a maiden stake success with the 4-year-old Spirit Of Boom mare Frangipani Moon in the Listed Just Now Stakes (1350m).
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Four heats for juveniles on Monday morning at Rosehill delivered some interesting winners including two sired by Spirit of Boom, who posted his tenth stakes-winner last Saturday in Sugar Boom.
Oaks Path Possible for Derryn Filly
An Oaks path is being tipped for three-year-old filly Leica Lucy following her debut win in the Christmas At The Races Friday 5th December (1400m) at New Plymouth on Wednesday.
Barbie Storms Home for a Magical Feature
It was a case of third time lucky at the Magic Millions for popular mare Outback Barbie who, after placings in the 2YO Classic in 2018 and 3YO Guineas in 2019, won the $1 million Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Quality (1300m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Oaks Pedigree Preview – Who is Bred to Stay?
The $1million Group I VRC Oaks (2500m) is the highlight at Flemington on Thursday and with all of the fillies on trial at the trip, pedigree can be a good indicator and in a field of 14 that features only two stakes-winners and no Group I winners, it could be a year for an upset result.
Spirit Of Boom's Ef Troop Makes Winning Return
Former brilliant 2-year-old Ef Troop looked back to somewhere near his best following an authoritative win in Saturday’s Listed Xmas Quality (1200m) at Morphettville.
Spirit Of Brodie Makes it 16 for Spirit Of Boom
Of the 118 foals from Spirit Of Boom's 2020 crop, there is just one grey, Spirit Of Brodie, who broke his maiden with a fighting win over a 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.