Miss Wonderland on a Magic Millions path
Lightly raced Miss Wonderland will put her Magic Millions Guineas credentials on show when she returns to Flemington.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Miss Wonderland won a Pakenham synthetic track maiden for two-year-old fillies by six lengths on debut in June before resuming in the Group Three Red Roses (1100m) at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week.
She ran a game third behind the smart Spright that day before Maher decided to freshen her up again.
“She ran at Flemington over 1100 and ran very well, but for a filly she hadn’t really come up,” Maher’s assistant trainer David Eustace said.
“She was still holding onto her coat so Ciaron just freshened her up out at the farm he’s got at Pakenham. He kept her in work but she was just being trained out of a field and that really brought her on.
“She looks absolutely fantastic now.”
Eustace says the plan is to get Miss Wonderland to the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 14, with Saturday’s 1100m benchmark-70 for fillies an important stepping stone.
“She’ll have three runs with a fortnight in between,” Eustace said.
“Hopefully she’ll run well at Flemington on Saturday and then she’ll go to Canterbury on the 31st (of December) over 1250 metres.
“Hopefully then she’s got enough prize money to get into the Magic Millions three-year-old race.
“She won her maiden well and it was a good time,” Eustace said.
“We’ve always had a pretty high opinion of her and she’s still very untried.”
Miss Wonderland is at $15 for the Magic Millions Guineas.
Luke Nolen rode her in the Red Roses on November 3 and has the ride on Saturday.
The stable is set to have four runners at Flemington while last-start Festival Stakes runner-up Hazzabeel will head to Sydney on Thursday to run in Saturday’s Group Two Villiers Stakes at Randwick.
Three-year-old gelding Styleman runs in Saturday’s 1400m benchmark race against his own age at Flemington after a last-start third over 1200m at Moonee Valley.
He also holds a Magic Millions nomination.
“I suppose if he were to win it would have to be considered,” Eustace said.
“But whether he’s quite up to that grade, we’re not really sure.”