Jockey Chris Munce has given his seal of approval for in-form mare Divine City to be part of the Magic Millions carnival after her runaway win in the Just Now Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Trainer Garnett Taylor wants to target the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Handicap (1300m) at the Gold Coast on January 9 and Munce believes it’s the right call.
Divine City - Photo by Daniel Costello
“I can’t see why not because she’s a mare in good form and they usually hold it when they’re racing as well as she is at the moment,” he said.
“If there’s an opportunity to tackle a race like that then now’s the time to do it.”
Taylor believes Divine City races best for Munce.
“Chris seems to have the secret to her,” he said.
“Sometimes he rides her forward and sometimes he rides her back and the quieter she’s ridden like she was today she can do some phenomenal things.”
Munce was happy to allow Divine City to settle midfield before bringing the mare with a well-timed finish in the straight to win by 2-1/4 lengths from Anna Lizzie and Scorpio Queen.
“She’s loaded with ability but she’s got a mind of her own and you’ve just got to let her travel in a race where she wants to be,” he said.
Munce was outed for five meetings after pleading guilty to careless riding at Ipswich on Friday, his first suspension in the past three years, but will resume riding on December 28.
