Gai Waterhouse’s quest for a record fifth win in the Magic Millions Classic will ramp up a gear on Saturday when Ready Already makes his race debut at Rosehill.
A $160,000 purchase at the Gold Coast sale, the beautifully bred colt is by More Than Ready out of former smart mare Cinque Cento.
With Waterhouse on her annual December holiday to the United States, stable spokesman Mark Newnham confirmed Ready Already had been earmarked for the $2 million race.
“That’s the plan and that’s why he’s in at this time of year,” Newnham said.
Ready Already showed speed at his only barrier trial when he tracked a wide course and held on to score.
He will face six rivals in Saturday’s Sire Custodians Plate (1100m), all first starters apart from the Clarry Conners-trained Aegean Sea who won her debut.
Like the majority of Waterhouse-trained horses, Ready Already is an on-speed runner and Newnham expects him to be prominent from an inside draw.
“He showed good natural speed (in his trial) and good natural ability and that’s what he showed from the start,” Newnham said.
“He finished the trial with something in the tank and he tended to even prick his ears the last bit. I’m sure if he’d been challenged he would have found something.”
The youngster will be one of five runners for Waterhouse at Rosehill in a team that also includes the unbeaten Eisenhower in the Dissident @ Newgate Farm Plate and Mr Jackman, who has had blinkers added to ensure he is sharp for his 1100-metre assignment.
Mr Jackman made an encouraging return to racing with a minor placing behind Senta De Noche on a day when it was difficult for horses not on the speed to get into the race on Randwick’s Kensington track.
On the other side of country, Pheidon will fly the stable’s flag in the $500,000 Kingston Town Classic in Perth on Saturday.
