Gollan going for more Millions magic

By Trent Crebbin, Brad Bishop and Danny Matthews  

Tony Gollan will saddle up three runners in Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

Gollan will be aiming to win his second Magic Millions 2YO Classic in three years and will be represented by La Bella Boom, Hi Barbie and Formula Rossa.

La Bella Boom is the market pick of the trio having won the Gold Pearl on Saturday at the meeting transferred to the Sunshine Coast and Gollan believes she hits this at the right time.

"She's probably got a bit of sense of timing and preparation about her. Everything really that I've wanted to happen has happened. It's gone to plan, I wouldn't fault her prep," Gollan said.

With rain forecast for Saturday, Gollan is confident La Bella Boom will be suited by a testing 1200 metres, given the filly is on a quick backup and has won twice on rain affected going.

"She's got the fitness score on the board. That seven-day backup just worked so well with so many horses and she's the right horse for it. So I just think her preparation; she ticks every box for me," Gollan said.

Gollan also suggested Hi Barbie was being overlooked by the market after pulling up with atrial fibrillation when dropping out as favourite at her last start. 

Hi Barbie is a daughter of Outback Barbie, who Gollan trained to win the Magic Millions QTIS race in 2020.

"She won on a Heavy 10 too. Obviously had that atrial fib. What worries you with her is the fact you've had the blip in the preparation. It's hard enough to win these good races, let alone having a slight setback," Gollan said.

"If I hadn't have known she'd had it, I wouldn't know. Physically, she's really, really well. I haven't had to alter anything I've done with her. So her preparation has gone exactly as I'd want as far as the training point goes, it's just a matter of whether you can you forgive the atrial fib run."

Gollan's trio is rounded out by Formula Rosa and while she's one of the longest priced runners in the race, a possible wet track could see her perform better than expected.

"The wet weather's her only hope. She was very good in the wet track at the Sunshine Coast. We'll ride her back quiet. It looks like high pressure Magic Millions, most of them are. Obviously a very fit filly, she's well-schooled, that might come into play," Gollan said.

"I'm probably in a good point with all three of mine as far as any sort of affected going goes. But, look, a gun to my head, I think La Bella Boom for me, particularly if the track becomes testing and it looks a high-pressure race."

La Bella Boom is on the second line of betting at $7 and will again be ridden by Craig Williams, while Tim Clark will take the ride on $18 chance Hi Barbie and Angela Jones will stick with $81 chance Formula Rossa.

Meanwhile, Lee Curtis believes the barrier draw is irrelevant for promising three-year-old Bauhinia, with the fast-finishing filly drawn in 20 for Saturday's $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas. 

That will likely come into barrier 16 of 18 if the emergencies fail to get a run.

Curtis, who trains in partnership with his wife Cherie, is excited by the daughter of Hellbent. 

"She's been to races four times and pretty much every time she's come out, or three of them, she's come out on her ear. You've got to assume she's probably going to do that again anyway, so she just comes from impossible positions. I think if she drew two and that happens, she's going to be in the same position, so I'm not worried about it," Lee said.

Bauhinia went into the Wyong run with one trial under the belt and Lee has tried to follow that formula into Saturday, since readying her with a tick over trial at Rosehill and a gallop, with no concerns about the filly's fitness.

"(Her) trial was really good, and I said to Jeff Penza who rode on Saturday, 'Look, give it a really good hit out; I don't want you to bust any clocks so just last bit have a lap full and see what happens. She ran amazing time, anyway," Lee said.

"She probably went in there with fresh legs; she's only had one trial and just a jump out and I tried to reproduce that and then the thing was, she made a 700 metre run first-up, so you know she pulled up well, so she's fit. We're very happy with her."

Tommy Berry has ridden Bauhinia in every start to date and has been booked to ride again on Saturday and Lee was buoyed by the leading jockey's comments after the Wyong victory.

"I've known Tommy a long time and his brother Nathan used to ride for me a lot, and he said, 'Lee, I'll tell you something. I know the horses you've had; she'll be the best horse you'll ever train," he said.