Tony Gollan will be hoping history repeats at next year’s Magic Millions with Eagle Farm winner Formula Rossa

Tony Gollan is a chance to claim his second Magic Millions 2YO Classic following the win of Formula Rossa at Eagle Farm.

Tony Gollan filly Formula Rossa (black and white) all but sealed her spot in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic with her win at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Tony Gollan won his first Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a filly wearing the Black Soil Bloodstock colours and he might now get the chance to repeat the dose with a filly in the same colours.

Formula Rossa, a $340,000 filly owned by the Black Soil business of former South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league front-rower Brian Siemsen, now looks to have done enough to qualify for next month’s $3m juvenile event after a gritty win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Skirt The Law, also owned by Black Soil, surged to victory in the 2023 Magic Millions as champion trainer Gollan broke his duck in the race.

At Eagle Farm on Saturday, Formula Rossa was sent out a $4 chance while stablemate Lockyer, who cost $800,000 as a yearling, was the well-backed $2 favourite in the QTIS 2YO Handicap (1200m).

Lockyer bombed his chances when the colt missed the start and did a good job from an impossible position to finish fifth, beaten less than two lengths, as Formula Rossa was trying to fend off the challengers up front.

The filly, who scored her first win at her second career start, now looks to have banked enough prize money for a spot in next month’s 2YO Classic.

Formula Rossa does a good job to fight back and win at start two for the @tonygollan stable 💪🎢 pic.twitter.com/g7HmNAnurl

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 7, 2024

Formula Rossa firmed from $51 to $26 for the Magic Millions Classic with Gollan already having qualified Hi Barbie who is the $11 second pick.

With Gollan in Hong Kong to oversee Antino’s preparation for the $7m Hong Kong Mile on Sunday, stable foreman Craig Cavanough was at Eagle Farm.

“It ended up being a good win for Formula Rossa,” Cavanough said.

“I was a bit worried there halfway down the straight with the way Ange (jockey Angela Jones) was sitting on her, she looked like a closed pocket knife.

“I was happy when she decided to go for her, and as soon as that happened the filly found a few lengths.

“The runner-up (Mortal Halo) got probably a long neck to a half-length in front of her and she fought back and won.”

Jimmy Orman, the rider of Lockyer, said his chances went up in smoke at the start.

“The plan was to roll forward to try to sit just behind the leaders,” Orman said.

“But he began very lacklustre and his chances were shot from there.”

Meanwhile, the actions of a quick-thinking QRIC steward saved major embarrassment at the Doomben races on Friday.

The start of race 7 was delayed by seven minutes when a steward noticed the barriers had been incorrectly positioned at the 1050m start, rather than the correct starting distance of 1110m.

The stewards’ report into the incident noted that the Brisbane Racing Club has undertaken to review their starting procedures for races.

Originally published as Tony Gollan will be hoping history repeats at next year’s Magic Millions with Eagle Farm winner Formula Rossa