Jonker’s connections lament incident that stripped horse chance at winning Magic Millions 2YO Classic

THE connections of Jonker have had their dreams of winning the $2 million 2YO Classic shattered within the first 200m of the race.

Connections of Magic Millipms 2YO classic runner Jonker. (L-R) Taisen Maddern, Doug Crane, Doug Crich, Gary McPherson. Photo: Richard Gosling.

THE connections of Jonker have had their dreams of winning the $2 million 2YO Classic shattered within the first 200m of the race.

As Sunlight stormed down the straight to claim a dominant two length win at Aquis Park, Gold Coast duo Gary Mcpherson and Tyson Maddern — along with fellow Jonker owners Doug Crich and Doug Crane — were left wondering what could have been.

Jonker jumped well from barrier two and was in fourth when Ef Troop — ridden by jockey Matthew McGillivray — tried to squeeze between early leaders Sunlight and Secret Lady.

The incident forced Secret Lady right and subsequently sent Jonker and hoop Hugh Bowman in to the rail. McGillivray was slapped with a month-long ban — starting immediately — for incident.

It was a devastating moment for Jonker’s connections who watched the clearly affected horse run last as Bowman tried his best to avoid any further damage to the horse that suffered abrasions to all four legs in the incident.

A disappointed Mcpherson tried to remain as upbeat as he could.

“We were just unlucky,” Mcpherson said.

“He was a good horse that won, Sunlight was so good.”

Crich said it had been a brilliant journey to the $10 million race day but lamented the actions that led to Jonker’s chances of a win being stripped from them.

“The journey has been really good,” Crich said.

“The jockey is all right, hopefully the horse is OK. It was a very severe piece of interference (by McGillivray).”