Mahuta capped off an outstanding training performance from Darren Weir to take out the 2016 Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast this afternoon.
Mahuta made it five wins on the trot with a tough victory in the 2016 Magic Millions Guineas. Photo by: Steve Hart
Mahuta only made his racing debut in September, but he stamped himself as a horse to follow when he took out the Listed Gothic Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) during the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival.
Weir elected to set Mahuta for the Magic Millions Guineas after originally planning to send him to the spelling paddock and he had the Flying Spur entire in outstanding condition for the $2 million event, which allowed him to lead from start to finish this afternoon.
Mahuta’s Magic Millions Guineas task was made tougher by his wide barrier draw, but jockey Brad Rawiller was able to quickly take the barrier draw out of contention and put Weir’s mind at ease.
“If you went on his form it was the right form for a race like this, but it was the first time the reverse way and he had the outside barrier,” Weir said.
“After 300 metres all that stuff was out of the road, Brad was able to get him across in a great rhythm, he was getting tired late, but he was entitled to get tired late.
“I keep thanking my team all the time, but my racing manager alerted me after the Sandown Guineas that this horse was Magic Millions qualified otherwise I probably would have put him in the paddock.
“He was at Ballarat at our stable all of last preparation until the Sandown Guineas, but when this race came on the radar we thought we would swap him to our Warrnambool stable to give him something different.
“That is the beauty of having two stables and having two really good people run them.”
Brad Rawiller had only one ride at the Gold Coast this afternoon, but he timed it to perfection in a manner that went against his normal style of riding.
Rawiller downplayed his own contribution to the win and dedicated the victory to Weir as well as all the other connections associated with the horse.
“It is a fantastic effort from all the team involved,” Rawiller said.
“D Weir it all speaks for himself what he has done in the last six months – let alone the last five years.
“All the owners and all the connections in it are just a fantastic group of guys and girls.
“He has been doing most of his work with Lucky Hussler and without the blinkers Lucky Hussler has had him covered, but he has been working good and we were really confident.
“At the end of the day he has had to freshen up and he hasn’t lost his interest.
“I couldn’t have been more confident coming here today apart from the fact that he drew barrier 20.”
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