MY CALL - THE MAGICAL MIX OF THE MILLIONS
By David Fowler | Tuesday, January 10, 2012
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
This is one Saturday I count the sleeps to.
Magic Millions raceday at the Gold Coast is one of the most exciting days on the Queensland racing calendar for a variety of reasons.
And believe it or not, it's the complex that lends itself to the buzz that oozes from the track, often still called "Southport" by the veterans.
For those who have been going to the races at Bundall … there's another term … since the sixties and seventies, there's still that "old Gold Coast feel" about it when you go through the turnstile.
It's hard to reconcile why, but if you've been there from days gone by, you still feel it. Guaranteed. You still think of Surfers Paradise, meter maids, Cavill Avenue etc etc
It's similar to Redcliffe. It's basically all grown up now and modern and mature but you'll see the occasional old weatherboard at Clontarf or Woody Point and your memory will float back to Redcliffe in the sixties and seventies.
I think the crowd that packs into the present day complex revel in the closeness and let's face it, it's grown like topsy, so there are enough bars and areas for everyone to feel wanted, but not crowded in.
It's Queensland in the summer, there's that great city skyline backdrop in the back straight that is everything glamorous and dirty about the Gold Coast and if you look further south you'll see Jupiters Casino and start dreaming.
Yes, there's that certain sort of magic you can only feel and not explain but, don't worry, it'll hit you when you arrive at "Southport" on Saturday.
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And did I mention the racing?
From the get-go to when the curtain comes down, its big fields with plenty of chances chasing big prize-money.
You can't get a more competitive day on the track.
We spoke of the Magic Millions last week and nothing has really changed in the past seven days.
It's a capacity line-up but, unlike previous years, there are limited winning chances which we nominated as Sizzling, Driefontein and Amarino.
Even 12 months ago there were top hopes and middle tier prospects, but not this time around.
And you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know tomorrow's barrier draw is ultra crucial.
I'll stick with Sizzling because I think he'll finish like a shot out of a gun and, even if he draws poorly, all is not lost because he showed the best part of his work is the latter part.
And I'm tipping the Kelso Wood-Chris Munce combination to have an excellent chance of winning the Magic Millions three-year-old leg with the filly Lucky Morna.
She turned in an eye-catcher in the Vo Rogue at Doomben and I reckon can run a race at odds at her third run back.
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We've got our fingers crossed with Adnocon in the Magic Millions Cup.
He'll be a long-shot, but Gerald Ryan has prepared him for the race first-up, similar to the project he executed successfully in winning last year's Eyeliner.
Brenton Avdulla was happy enough with the way he trialled at Rosehill last Friday to pass up a book of rides in Sydney to partner him this weekend.
A firm track and 1400m play well for him.
It's just a thrill having a runner on the big day. Anything else will be a much appreciated bonus.
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Shook my head when I saw the name of a horse running at Townsville last Tuesday.
I'll Belt Ya. Yes, no typo. I'll Belt Ya.
Every connotation is in the negative.
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I'm off on a couple of weeks break after Magic Millions day so see you on my return later this month.
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