Group 1-winning trainer Lloyd Kennewell chases Gold Coast Magic Millions start for Wolfgang
Group 1 Victorian trainer Lloyd Kennewell could have his first Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic runner if a rich colt performs at Doomben on Saturday.
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Group 1-winning Victorian trainer Lloyd Kennewell believes expensive and well-travelled colt Wolfgang can be his first Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic contender.
Wolfgang, a $500,000 purchase for clients including Tony Fung’s TFI racing, will race in his third state in as many career runs when he is unleashed at Doomben on Saturday.
The son of Exceed and Excel made his debut in October at Flemington when he was all at sea down the straight and finished fifth behind Bodyguard in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes.
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He redeemed himself when sent to Adelaide earlier this month, winning easily and setting in stone a plan to head to Queensland for a Magic Millions tilt.
Wolfgang needs to earn some more prizemoney to lock in a spot in the Magic Millions field next month and Kennewell, who co-trains with Lucy Yeomans, feels he will do just that at Doomben on Saturday.
There will be no excuses if he doesn’t fire and set himself on course to the Magic Millions, where he is currently a $26 chance in the $3 million juvenile sprint on January 13.
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“I have never raced a two-year-old in the Gold Coast Magic Millions, it’s not the easiest thing to do with the travel involved from Victoria,” Kennewell said.
“You also need the right two-year-old and I think this is the one.
“He is a horse who has got a very good action and a great turn of foot.
“He had a road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide and then to Queensland and has done really well.
“In fairness, I think all the travelling will have helped this colt.”
Star Victorian jockey Blake Shinn will ride Wolfgang on Saturday as the colt aims up in the $105,000 QTIS 2YO Handicap (1200m) at Doomben.
Wolfgang has raced on soft tracks in his career to date, but Kennewell insists he will be at his brilliant best on a firm surface.
He says champion jockey James McDonald had a big opinion of Wolfgang but the colt just got lost down the Flemington straight when making his debut.
“J-Mac really liked him, he just said he did a lot of things wrong when he made his debut and was looking for a bend,” Kennewell said.
“I think he's a nice colt, he is still learning his craft a bit and he’s a little bit of a lad around the place.
“But once he is under saddle and out there with a rider on he is good, but he just knows he is a lad around the stalls
“We had to have one more run to try to get him into the Magic Millions, it was just a matter of timing getting him to Queensland and for this race on Saturday.”
Kennewell expects Wolfgang to make his presence felt at Doomben on Saturday, saying: “If he’s not wound up to win, we are in really big trouble.”
Originally published as Group 1-winning trainer Lloyd Kennewell chases Gold Coast Magic Millions start for Wolfgang
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