An enforced barrier trial on Friday will be a watershed moment in the career of talented four-year-old Top Drop.
If he behaves, his trip to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions day will be assured. If not, he will be gelded.
Stewards ordered Top Drop back to the trials after he failed to jump with the field and trailed in last in Monday’s Listed Carrington Stakes for which he was the second favourite behind the winner Rain Affair.
His trainer Gerald Ryan said he would trial over 1030 metres in the hope he can get back on track for the Magic Millions Cup (1400m).
“If he goes OK we will proceed to the Gold Coast,” Ryan said.
“If he doesn’t he will be gelded.
“He has never done anything like it before but he was behaving like a stallion in the barrier and then when the gates opened he didn’t go with them.”
While Top Drop has a question mark over his trip north, Ryan has no concerns about leading Magic Millions Classic contender Amorino.
The two-year-old is third favourite at $5 for the $2 million race with Queenslander Sizzling ($3.40) at the top of the market despite being beaten by Driefontein ($3.80) at Doomben on Saturday.
Amorino cemented his position as a Magic Millions force with victory at Rosehill on Saturday when he showed tenacity at both ends of the race.
“He’s come through Saturday well and I’m really pleased with him,” Ryan said.
Although Driefontein’s trainer Gai Waterhouse believes her horse and Amorino are the ones to beat, Ryan has a healthy respect for Sizzling.
“The barriers will play a big part and if Sizzling draws a barrier he will be hard to beat,” he said.
“He has drawn badly at his last two.”
The Kelso Wood-trained Sizzling was a closing half-neck second to Noogoora Burr after jumping from barrier eight of nine at Eagle Farm on December 17.
He was again doing his best work late against Driefontein after coming out of gate 12 of 14.
Amorino’s stablemate Angel Of Mercy booked her spot on the float to the Gold Coast with victory at Warwick Farm on Monday.
Ryan is hoping the attrition rate means the filly gains a start in the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas but if not she will run in a fillies and mares race on the day.
AAP TURF
