Stragglers main worry for The Candy Man
Popular grey The Candy Man tries for a 2400m-win in the Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast.
Popular gelding The Candy Man has been a victim of his own success with a huge weight on Saturday but that is not the main worry for trainer Barry Baldwin.
The Candy Man earned a wild card entry to Saturday’s $1 million Magic Millions Trophy (2400m) with his win in the Shoot Out Quality (2200m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday week.
It was his third feature race win in four starts since returning from an unlucky Sydney campaign and bumped his rating to a career-high 107.
The Candy Man was rated 12 points higher than the next horses in the Trophy and carries top weight of 61kg under the quality conditions.
The big grey will give every runner six or seven kilograms as he runs over the distance for the second time after being unplaced in last year’s Brisbane Cup.
Baldwin believes The Candy Man will have no problems with the weight or the 2400m but he does have one concern.
“I thought one or two of the others might have got a bit more than the minimum,” Baldwin said.
“But my main worry is there are a couple in the field who will get a stitch at 2400 metres and get in our way.
“The Candy Man has won both his starts at the Gold Coast and he likes the track. But there can be traffic jams there and I don’t want to get caught in one.”
Baldwin said he would love an overnight storm for The Candy Man who is a noted wet track horse.
“But rain, hail or shine he will be thereabouts,” he said.
The crowd favourite will have a break after Saturday to be set for the Group One Doncaster Mile in the Sydney autumn.