MY CALL - STILL A MONTH TO GO BUT MISSY LONGSTOCKING ALREADY LOOKS THE PART FOR THE MAGIC MILLIONS

By David Fowler | Tuesday, December 11, 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.

Barring bad luck in running, Missy Longstocking will win the Jeep Magic Millions in a month's time.

Big call? Not really.

Of course she will have to dispense with the Calaway Gal field fairly comprehensively at Eagle Farm on the weekend but I expect her to do that after casting an eye over the all-local line-up.

I'm basing my MM confidence on two major fronts.

Firstly, I'm a stickler for the theory that good times are run by good horses. Sometimes a track can be super fast and flatter times.

After an easy cushion track debut in Toowoomba, Missy Longstocking scooted over the 1000m trip at Eagle Farm on November 3, winning by seven and running 57.18.

This was a defining moment. Youngsters rarely achieve that figure at the Eagle Farm 1000m and, keep in mind, the runner-up Moroccan Rose was highly rated by the stable.

By the way, the third horse was seven lengths behind the runner-up.

Secondly, where is the opposition?

We are about a month out from the big dance and I can only pinpoint Saturday's Rosehill winner Champagne Kath as a genuine winning contender.

And, like Missy Longstocking, she ran time, nudging Thorn Park's race record at the 1200m.

Sure, there might be a few twists and turns in the next fortnight but I wouldn't swap Missy Longstocking for any other runner.

**********************************************************************************************

I must have been dreaming.

It can happen. Saturdays are a long day, starting at 7.30 in the studio and signing off around 5pm at the track.

The eyes can tire as well yet I'm certain I saw the normally unflappable Gillian Heinrich rather emotional after Startsmeup's George Moore win.

And I must have misheard the reports that the owners were transferring the horse to Bruce Hill because Jeff Lloyd decide to ride the stable-mate Auadacious Spirit.

And that same report was in the Sunday papers. Media beat-up? I'm confused.

Normality returned on Monday when it was confirmed Startsmeup was staying with Gillian Heinrich.

So that whole 48 hours must have been a dream.

After all, no-one could be that stupid or immature to consider transferring a horse because of a jockey's choice of rides.

Could they?

**********************************************************************************************

The VRC made a great call to name a race in honor of Black Caviar.

The Lightning Stakes was the race chosen.

But surely, surely, she deserves to have the name outright.

What sounds better? (a) The Black Caviar Lightning Stakes or (b) The Black Caviar.

Option A almost suggests she is sponsoring the race yet option B gives her exclusivity and presence.

Yet the VRC has disappointingly chosen option A.

I've got some history on this. As part of the Albion Park committee we decided to honour the champion Blacks A Fake and agreed the Winter Cup was the race to do it with.

So it's now The Blacks A Fake and recognized nationally. Not The Blacks A Fake Winter Cup.

Until next week.

More articles