Darren Bell to take pride in a Magic Millions Cup qualifier

By Andrew Smith

Darren Bell knows the feeling of success on Magic Millions Raceday and would love nothing more than to achieve that once again.

The trainer took out the 2008 Magic Millions Sprint with Sir Monashee.

Fast forward 16 years and he is now looking to qualify for the Magic Millions Country Cup on the biggest raceday of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

Northern Pride will line up for the Bell stable in Thursday’s Cup qualifier at the Warwick Turf Club.

The gelding has had just the one start for Bell since transferring from the Tom Button stable.

He finished last in a Benchmark 78 Handicap with Michael Rodd on board at Eagle Farm earlier this month, but Bell was not reading too much into that finish.

“That day he raced 1000 metres at Eagle Farm and we sort of gave him a good top four chance in that race, but just the way the day unfolded, it just didn’t suit him,” Bell said.

“On face value, he looked pretty disappointing, but it rained very, very heavily into the meeting that day and Michael Rodd felt like he didn’t really chip in under those conditions.

“He wasn’t beaten hopelessly - we were a bit disappointed because we’ve been very pleased with him going into that run and he’s bounced through it really well and it’s taken nothing out of him.

“He looks really well placed for that race on Thursday I think so we’re expecting him to be pretty forward for it.”

Trained by leading horseman Tony Gollan before heading to Button’s stable, Northern Pride has eight wins and seven placings from a 28-start career.

That includes this year’s Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville in August.

Adding to Bell’s confidence in the five-year-old will be the return of Gabrielle Semmens to the saddle, with the pair striking up a successful partnership in the last 12 months.

“She has won four races on him so she’s got a really good understanding of the horse,” Bell said.

“We’ve drawn one so it will be a really good advantage to have her on.

“Obviously some of those well-travelled country horses on those sort of tracks, they’re not easy to beat.

“But class wise and where his rating’s at, it sort of suggests he’s one of the top chances.

“I don’t sell any of the opposition short but I think he’s well placed there.”

The carrot of booking a spot in the $500,000 Magic Millions Cup on Saturday, January 11 is sure to produce a high quality race.

Bell is keen to repeat that feeling of competing, and hopefully getting a win, on the biggest day of the summer carnival come the new year.

“Absolutely – that’s the reason we’re going there and that’s definitely the target for him,” Bell said.

“I remember that day (when Sir Monashee won) - it was an enormous thrill to be winning on a day like that where everyone who’s anyone competes at so it would be a big thrill to do it again.”