Lindsay Park head trainer David Hayes had plenty to smile about after his filly Nomothaj drew barrier two for the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Lindsay Park co-trainers Ben (left) and David Hayes (right) will saddle up Nomothaj in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Nomothaj will more than likely jump from the inside gate when the final field of sixteen lines up at the starting stalls after one of the five emergencies, Spirit’s Pride, drew the number one marble and is very doubtful of gaining a start.
“Couldn’t be happier,” David Hayes said.
“It is the shortest way home. She will race in a forward position with cover so that is what the Gold Coast is all about.”
Even though Nomothaj is the winner of her only race start, Hayes has elected to add the blinkers to the Snitzel filly’s race day gear after he noticed that she was star gazing a little in winning the Listed $120,000 Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on October 7.
“Even though she won at her first start, she was looking around a lot and nearly got herself beat. She was looking at things and pricking her ears,” said Hayes who trains in partenership with his son Ben Hayes and nephew Tom Dabernig.
“She is a very lazy worker and when you put the blinkers on she shows her class.”
“We think she is a pretty smart filly. She has been set for the race and she will be a good filly to follow out of the race because she is first up.”
Stephen Baster will be on board Nomothaj again after guiding the filly to victory at Flemington.
Nomothaj has remained steady in the betting at $11 for the Magic Millions 2yo Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au who have the David Atkins trained Jonker as the $4.20 favourite.
Jonker, with Hugh Bowman in the saddle, was promoted to the top of the market order after drawing barrier three in the original draw and will jump from two if all the emergencies fail to gain a start.
Brilliant filly Sunlight and the unbeaten colt Ef Troop have both drifted in the betting after drawing wide barriers.
The Tony McEvoy trained Sunlight drew gate fifteen in the original drew and is now marked as the second pick at $4.40 while Ef Troop is on the third line of betting at $4.60 after coming up with barrier eighteen in the original draw.
Things will look better on race day when the field is trimmed back to the final sixteen runners with Sunlight moving to twelve and Ef Troop to thirteen.