Magic Millions barrier draw will determine favourites and reshape betting market
UPDATE: THE three major fancies in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic all fared well at today’s barrier draw leaving the $2 million race wide open.
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UPDATE: THE three major fancies in this Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic all fared well at today’s barrier draw leaving the $2 million race wide open.
Queenslander Wicked Intent ($5.50-$5) held onto favouritism this morning after drawing ideally in barrier five.
Scroll down to see the full barrier draw list
But his main rivals Claudia Jean ($7-$6.50) and Frequendly ($7-$6.50) both also faired well drawing barriers one and four respectively.
The other winners in the barrier draw on the Surfers Paradise foreshore this morning were Zoutenant (barrier seven), Single Gaze (six), Le Chef (three) and Flamenco (two).
The major fancies to fare badly were- Carriages (21), Miss Idyllic (19), Surf Seeker (18) and Pepperano (17).
Surf Seeker drifted from $9-$12 with TattsBet yesterday as a result of the horror draw.
TattsBet’s Gerard Daffy expects good support to come for Wicked Intent on the back of the favourable draw but he feels fellow Queenslander Frequendly could start favourite come Saturday.
Meanwhile, Hijack Hussy is almost certain to start a short-price favourite in the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas after drawing ideally in barrier six.
MM 2YO Classic
1. Wicked Intent-5
2. Zoutenant-7
3. Le Chef-3
4. Old Trieste-20
5. Surf Seeker-18
6. Carriages-21
7. Frequendly-4
8. Single Gaze-6
9. Flamenco-2
10. Miss Idyllic-19
11. Perignon-11
12. Madotti-15
13. Saga Of The Storm-10
14. Claudia Jean-1
15.Pepperano-17
16. Racy-9
Emergencies
17. Flamenco Girl-16
18. Right Of Way-12
19. Real Good-14
20. Star Of Night- 13
21. Wicked Investment-8
MM 3YO Guineas
1. Fixation-2
2. Deiheros-7
3. Testashadow-13
4. Cyclone-1
5. Bold Circle-17
6. Vienna Royale-12
7. Murt The Flirt-19
8. Yeager-3
9. Liberty Island-16
10. Mywayorthehighway-8
11. Hijack Hussy-6
12. Tales Of Fashion-5
13. Echo Gal-9
14. Stroak-11
15. Aerobar-4
16. Herstory-20
Emergencies
17. She’s Miss Devine-15
18. Mister Booze-10
19. Polynikes-21
20. I Am Zelady-18
21. I Am Impressed- 14
EARLIER: BOOKMAKERS have labelled this Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic as the most open edition of the race they can remember as the all-important barrier draw gets set to reshape the market today.
TattsBet’s Gerard Daffy can’t recall a more even 2YO Classic with six of the 16 confirmed starters under $10 in the current market.
It comes as Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown warned the race could be as much as $7 the field come Saturday, while Sportsbet’s Shaun Anderson also suggested Queenslander Wicked Intent could be replaced as favourite if he draws off the track today.
RELATED: MAGIC MILLIONS — SHOW ME THE MONEY
Wicked Intent has held Magic Millions favouritism for a number of weeks but Anderson said the complexion of the race this year meant barriers were even more important,
“A good barrier will certainly have an influence on the market moves and 12 of the last 13 (winners) have all drawn inside 10,” he said.
“If Wicked Intent draws wider than barrier 10 then he will more than likely lose his favouritism.”
Daffy agrees and said the prospect of more showers later in the week could also scare punters away from backing the current favourite.
Wicked Intent’s only defeat came on a slow 7 in the BJ McLachlan Stakes last month and with the track rated a Slow 6 late yesterday it could well be rain affected again this weekend.
“If Wicked Intent draws out and we get more rain then I think it will be displaced as favourite,” Daffy said.
“Since winning at Toowoomba last week, Frequendly has been the one the punters want and she has been more popular at $7.00 than any other runner.
“Claudia Jean is holding her place at $7.00 as well and any one of that trio could start favourite and it is definitely the most open Magic Millions I have seen.”
Jockeys have steered well clear of the fence at the past two Gold Coast metropolitan meetings in recent weeks meaning barriers one and two may also be a disadvantage this year.
The rail has been in the true position for the last two meetings but will be moved out 1m from the 1400m-1000m mark and 1 ½m from the 1000m-400m mark this weekend.
Brown said most punters were staying away from the race at this early stage but he feels betting will liven after the barrier draw on the Surfers Paradise foreshore this morning.
“When the fields are as open as what they are, punters tend not to get involved too early and they wait until they have as much information as possible before having a crack,” he said.
“We could be looking at $6 or even $7 the field on Saturday unless one of the favoured runners clearly benefits over its main rivals at the draw.”
A few punters have still be happy to bet early though.
Sportingbet recorded a bet of $2,000 on Pepperano @ $16 recently, while Carriages has been $21-$16 with TattsBet since New Year’s Day.
TattsBet also received a bet yesterday of $15,000 @ $4.50 for Carriages to place.
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