Lucy Yeomans hasn’t attended the Magic Millions sales or raceday as a licensed trainer having joined Lloyd Kennewell in April 2023 and admits it’s been an exciting time representing the stable while Kennewell remains in Victoria.
“It’s exciting, I think we put the writing on the wall over the Spring having runners in big races and running well but it feels different being up here for the sales,” Yeomans said.
I’ve been here since mid-December sort of doing it while Lloyd’s stayed at home so it’s exciting to see it all come together and we drew a good gate for the two-year-old which was sort of the last box we felt we had to tick but we’re very much looking forward to Saturday.”
The stable saddle up a live chance in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic with Exceed And Excel colt Wolfgang who has won both starts this preparation, one at Morphettville and one at Doomben.
“We galloped him (Tuesday) morning in blinkers and he was very good, we think there’s a strong sort of seven or eight horses and then it possibly drops away a fraction. He’ll have to improve probably two, three lengths to be up there with those horses that won last weekend but if he can do that in the blinkers we think he’s going to be thereabouts,” Yeomans said.
The stable are realistic about the chances of the $19 shot but Yeomans is confident the horse is seasoned enough to be competitive.
“He’s drawn barrier two, we’ll aim to go forward but they might go flat out and he might not be capable but he showed last start that he can make a bit of ground, which might be tricky from barrier two, we do think he’s got a chance,” Yeomans said.
The stable also saddle up maiden runner Pure Paradise in the Magic Millions 3yo Guineas who will start long odds, her job made more difficult by drawing barrier 19.
“She’s long odds, but her run on Saturday was very good against the track pattern… she just got in and scraped a run, she’s big odds but she is more talented than her form shows,” Yeomans said.
“She got beaten by Kings Gambit on debut, she’s always run into what we think are quite good horses, she’s drawn barrier 20 so she’s probably gone from 100-1 to 200-1, it’s going to be hard from there but we think she’ll be hitting the line.”