Dream to start Guineas build up

By Craig Brennan and Mandy Cottell 

A Brisbane start is on the radar for Icarian Dream as she builds towards the Magic Millions Guineas.

The Ciaron Maher stable is planning a return visit to the Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast with Icarian Dream. 

The three-year-old daughter of Blue Point ran in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic earlier this year and the stable is planning to tackle the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on January 17. 

Icarian Dream is potentially Brisbane bound this weekend to contest the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm. 

The filly won on the corresponding weekend last year taking out the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm, defeating Cool Archie. 

Icarian Dream is currently in New South Wales and Jack Turnbull, national assistant trainer for Maher, said the filly would be an acceptor for the race after which the stable would look at the field before making a final decision on whether she runs. 

The three-year-old has not raced since finishing third behind the exciting Sheza Alibi in the Group 3 The Vanity at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week. 

"We thought she was profiling exactly the right way before we gave her a break," Turnbull said. 

"We were toying with the idea of some headgear, but she had a bit of a shaky period getting off to the races with an embargo, but once that was cleared she has been building. 

"She's in really good shape, so we're thinking of the Gold Edition on Saturday and then there are a few other options after that which lead to the big one on January 17." 

Turnbull said Icarian Dream had a week in the paddock after her last start before beginning the build-up for the Magic Millions Guineas. 

"We tipped her out for a week on the grass, just to back off her and stretch her out and the goal has always been to get her back up there," Turnbull said. 

"She ran in the two-year-old feature last year but drew right off the track and it never went to plan. 

"She's a Group 3-winner, winning the B.J. McLachlan, and she definitely hasn't lost the ability. 

"We just need to get her back to her right form." 

Meanwhile, Accredited will clash with evergreen Queensland star Rothfire at Eagle Farm.

The first and only time Sydney gelding Accredited travelled interstate to race, he turned in a below par run.

However, trainer Joe Pride is quietly confident that won't be the case when the six-year-old makes his Queensland debut in Saturday's Listed Lough Neagh Stakes at Eagle Farm.

"It was at Sandown. It's a difficult course for Sydney horses to go to first time the Melbourne way and I'm hoping that was the problem," Pride said.

"He came back from there and raced well, so I'm thinking it was more something that happened on the day."

Accredited heads to Brisbane boasting strong form references, finishing runner-up to stablemates Estadio Mestalla and Coal Crusher at his first two campaign runs before a fourth behind subsequent The Ingham champion Yorkshire in the Festival Stakes.

It was that performance that set him on a path to Brisbane, highlighting to Pride that his distance range peak should be capped at 1400 metres.

"The Festival showed me everything I needed to know about the horse and he will be restricted to 1400 and below for the rest of his life," Pride said.

"He didn't run the 1500 metres out strongly enough, so I'm going to bring him back in trip and the 1300 metres should be ideal for him.

"He looks really well placed. His form lines are around Estadio Mestalla, Coal Crusher and Yorkshire. They're all the right form lines to go up there.

"He does have to take on Rothfire, but he looks well placed to do that and I'm really happy with the horse."

Pride took two stablemates interstate last weekend and almost came away with a perfect record when The Black Cloud was successful at Eagle Farm and Private Eye went down in the final bounds to Warnie in the Supernova at Pakenham.

Accredited is his only runner outside Sydney this weekend, but he says he's happy to travel the right horse for the right race.

"You've got to go where you can find the races you can win and hopefully that's the case for this horse," Pride said.