Most Important could become racing’s most unlikely millionaire on Saturday

MOST Important is poised to become racing’s most unlikely millionaire on Saturday at his 11th start in a campaign that looked on a path to oblivion.

Trainer Tony Gollan with Most Important.

MOST Important is poised to become racing’s most unlikely millionaire on Saturday at his 11th start in a campaign that looked on a path to oblivion.

The Tony Gollan-trained gelding is favourite for Saturday’s Buffering Quality. Victory would seal not only a hat-trick, but also a lucrative $500,000 Summer Crown bonus which would tip his career earnings into seven figures.

Sponsors UBET face a potential $1 million payout on Saturday, with Vo Rogue hotpot Winning Rupert also eligible for the $500,000 bonus if he wins again.

While Winning Rupert was earmarked as a potential bonus winner from the day it was announced he would race in Queensland over the summer, Most Important was still trying to win his way out of restricted company.

Hopes had previously been high after Most Important was gelded mid-year and the promise he showed last summer prompted owner Linda Huddy to go to $500,000 to secure his brother at this year’s Magic Millions sale.

Trainer Tony Gollan with Most Important.

But with five successive defeats, Gollan was merely hoping Most Important might pick up a support race over the carnival, not three features and the bonus.

“He had always shown us good ability, but he’s never been a quick learner,’’ Gollan said. “He didn’t set the world on fire as a two-year-old and he took a long time to come good this time around too.

“When he came back I thought he might be a summer carnival horse, but he wasn’t going well enough. It wasn’t until he won in fast time at Doomben that I finally had him right.’’

That win, under 59kg and in fast time, told Gollan Most Important was finally ready to live up to the promise he showed a year earlier.

“He’s had 10 starts this campaign dating back to June and he’s gone to another level at the end of that,” Gollan said.

“He has great powers of recovery. He comes home from the races so well and while others are feeling the effects of a run a couple of days later, he’s bucking his brands off.’’

Most Important’s past two starts have seen his official handicap rating skyrocket from 83 to 102.

“That’s what’s going to hurt him now,” the trainer said. “I have no doubt he’s going to get the right run in this race and he will look the winner at some stage, it’s just a matter of him not sprinting as quickly under 58kg as he did with 56kg last time.

“I’m not complaining. It’s a good position to be in. He’s only a young horse and I have no doubt this is a breed (I Am Invincible) that are going to get better as they get older.’’

Originally published as Most Important could become racing’s most unlikely millionaire on Saturday