If any jockey is due for a change of luck in Saturday’s Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast it is Corey Brown.
Brown, who will ride the David Hayes-trained Mrs Gray, has ridden placegetters in three of the past five runnings of the $2 million feature.
He was third on Royal Asscher in 2007 and has had to content himself with second for the past two years aboard Combat Kitty and Ambers Waltz.
“The year before last I actually finished second in both the two and three-year-old races,” Brown said.
“I’ve won a three-year-old, I haven’t won a two-year-old but it would be nice to put one on the mantelpiece.
“I’ll definitely be giving it my best shot.”
Victorian Mrs Gray has barely rated a mention in Magic Millions (1200m) discussions.
Still a maiden after three starts, she was twice placed in Melbourne late last year before a game second to Millions third elect Amorino at Rosehill on December 31.
That was her first start the right-handed way of going and Brown expects her to benefit from the experience.
Mrs Gray does have a horror gate in 19 but even so Brown believes she is over the odds at $41 with TAB Sportsbet.
“I’m very surprised she’s the price she is,” Brown said.
“I know she’s drawn the carpark and it’s going to be hard from out there but if she’d drawn a decent gate I would have thought she’d be very competitive.
“I rate her an each-way chance, especially at 40-1.”
Of the Magic Millions winners since 2005 only one, Mirror Mirror in 2006, has drawn a double-figure alley.
The top three fancies this year – Driefontein, Sizzling and Amorino – have all drawn eight or under.
But as Brown says, good draws in high-pressure races also come with challenges.
“This is a race which is always a high-pressure race no matter where you draw,” he said.
“I know all the fancied runners have drawn great gates but that doesn’t mean they’re going to get the best runs.
“They’re going to have to use a fair bit of petrol early just to hold their positions.
“I’m going to need luck from out there but you never know when you’re at the Gold Coast.
“I seem to have luck there every other year.”
AAP TURF
