A strong trial win this week by Better Rush has influenced trainer Chris Munce to match the filly against top company at the Gold Coast.
The filly will make her debut in the $125,000 Gold Pearl (1200m) at the Gold Coast where she will be ridden by Munce’s apprentice Justin Huxtable.
Better Rush scored a strong win in an 840m trial at Doomben on Tuesday where she clocked 50.25s on a soft track.
“If they get around 50 seconds winning these trials at Doomben they are usually handy,” Munce said.
“Her time wasn’t as fast as the trial where Dusty Tycoon beat another of my horses Kavak. But they are experienced two-year-olds.
“And she wasn’t that far off their time.”
Munce said he would monitor the filly up to Saturday morning before making a final decision whether she starts.
“Provided she continues to please I see no reason why she wouldn’t start,” he said.
Better Rush is eligible for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic but Munce will not be upset if she fails to make the field.
“One thing about buying Queensland bred horses is there are plenty of races for them as two-year-olds,” he said.
Munce already has Kavak in Magic Millions Classic, a race he won three times as a jockey.
Fellow trainer Chris Anderson is looking to have his first runner in the Millions Classic with She’s A Tigress who also races in the Gold Pearl.
She’s A Tigress won her only start at the Gold Coast last month but will need to win to get to the big race.
Anderson has put winkers on She’s A Tigress to help her concentrate.
Anderson said while it would be good to have a Millions Classic runner he was not fretting about things.
“I have never had a Millions 2YO runner and it would be a feather in our cap. But what will be will be,” he said.
“A few good judges are saying this might be one of those Magic Millions which is wide open. There is no stand out horse,” Anderson said.
“If she wins Saturday we would head to the Millions but if not we can look to later this year.”
