Ciaron Maher believes Magic Millions delay will benefit Magic Million 3YO Guineas fancy Snitzanova

Ciaron Maher says one of his Magic Millions fillies will benefit from the extra week while another filly “has the task ahead of her” on Friday night.

Ciaron Maher has three strong hopes in both $3m Magic Millions features on Friday at the Gold Coast. Picture: Vince Caligiuri via Getty Images

Just how much a six-day postponement has affected the result of Friday night’s $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas will be forever unknown, but trainer Ciaron Maher is optimistic he’s fallen on the right side of the ledger.

While Sandown Guineas winner Snitzanova hasn’t raced since November 30, Maher believes an extra six-day lead up into 3YO Guineas (1400m) on the Gold Coast will prove advantageous for the daughter of Snitzel, who is currently a $7 second favourite.

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“I think it will be a benefit to her, she got up to Queensland and it just took her a few days to acclimatise so I think the extra week will do her really well – I think she’s thrived actually,” Maher, who is chasing a first win in the Guineas, said.

“Some (horses) like Snitzanova, I think it will be a benefit, others require regular sort of racing, training and the extra week might be a negative to them because there’s nowhere really to work them up there.

“There’s only so much you can do on an artificial track and it’s too wet for the grasses. Some it’s a benefit, others will be a gallop short.”

Snitzanova digs deep for her third straight win in the Sandown Guineas 😤@[e-mail]/Jqki6FTSLt

— Racing.com (@Racing) November 30, 2024

• Curtis content to wait on Millions tilt with ‘special kind of horse’

With a two-pronged attack in the Guineas, Maher will also saddle up Yes Lulu ($17), who won last month’s Magic Millions VIC 3YO & 4YO Classic at Caulfield Heath.

The leading handler is buoyed by her progress.

“She’s thriving, her first run was good, her second run was right back to her best or even better,” he said.

“I think she’s a horse very much on the up, (she’s a) big, strong horse who’s done well – she looks great.”

Maher kickstarts Friday night’s Magic Millions onslaught with Icarian Dream ($8.50) in the $3m 2YO Classic (1200m) and, after drawing barrier 21 (now 20 following a scratching), the filly has the task ahead of her.

The extra week could be a positive for leading Magic Millions Guineas contender Snitzanova. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

“She was sort of three weeks between runs, she’s now out to a month, which is long enough, but she has very good grounding, her runs have been well spaced and she’s improved each time,” Maher said.

“I think she’ll do something similar … but she’ll need to because she’s either going to have work early, late or the whole way.

“She’s pretty close to right, but she’s got a bit of a task ahead of her.”

• Race times locked in for rescheduled Magic Millions

Maher has seven runners on Friday’s seven-race Magic Millions card, with Semana, a dual acceptor in both the $1mn Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) and Fillies & Mares (1300m) also primed to run strongly.

“I think Semana is going quite well, she was successful up there last year,” he said.

Originally published as Ciaron Maher believes Magic Millions delay will benefit Magic Million 3YO Guineas fancy Snitzanova