By Glenn Davis
Sunlight confirmed her standing as a genuine Magic Millions Classic contender with another runaway win at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
In an action-packed race, Sunlight led throughout for a dominant 4-1/2 length win over Terminology with Paquirri, a further half neck away, third.
Sunlight’s win emulated the feat of star Queensland filly Houtzen who won the same race last year before going on to claim the Magic Millions Classic a week later.
Trainer Tony McEvoy declared after Sunlight won by nearly five lengths at the Gold Coast on December 23 that she would need another run before her Magic Millions grand-final.
Sunlight’s win saw her firm sharply into a $4.50 second favourite with Queenslander Ef Troop for the Magic Millions Classic.
Jonker is favourite at $4.00.
McEvoy also has Crockett headed to the $2 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast next Saturday.
“It was an easy watch and she’s a high-class filly,” McEvoy said.
“That will bring her on now for next week.”
McEvoy said the Magic Millions Classic was a hard race to win for southern horses, especially a South Australian filly.
“It’s a hard race to win for southerners, that’s why I gave her two starts at the Gold Coast,” he said.
“By race time I wanted her to think she was a local."
The race was marred just after the start when the Chris Meagher-trained Boom Girl, who needed to win to make the Magic Millions field, bucked at the start.
Boom Girl put on a rodeo performance before dislodging jockey Bridget Grylls who was unharmed in the incident.
Earlier Licitra got bookmakers off to a flying start with an upset win in the Class 3 Plate (900m).
Licitra powered home over the top of Invincible Heart who hit the front halfway down the straight for a decisive half length win.
Crusher was third, a further two lengths away.
Licitra, backed from $21 into $17, was having her first start since July and took her record to three wins from nine starts.
Trainer Mel Eggleston has a good opinion of Licitra who is a daughter of Love And Money.
Love And Money was a Listed winner trained by Eggleston and won more than $354,000 in prizemoney with seven wins and 10 placings from 34 starts.
“Love And Money was a very good mare for us but unfortunately she died recently,” Eggleston said.
Racing Queensland webnews January 6