Queenslanders eye Magic Millions Guineas

By Glenn Davis 

Interstate raiders dominate the $3 million Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on Saturday but local trainers are not giving up the fight against the visitors. 

The Magic Millions Guineas was won last year by Eagle Farm trainer Robert Heathcote with Abounding who was one of five Queenslanders contesting the 1400 metre feature. 

This year will see four locals - veteran Barry Lockwood (Give Me Space), Kelly Schweida (Hella Fast), Billy Healey (Cosmic Fire) and adopted Queenslander Jim Mason (Street Chase) - take on the might of the southerners.

Lockwood’s Give Me Space, who drew a horror barrier of 21, is coming off a last start win in last month’s Group 3 Vo Rogue in which Mason’s Street Chase (barrier 12) and Schweida’s Hella Fast (barrier eight) filled the placings.

The Healey-trained Cosmic Fire has won three of his six starts and drew perfectly in gate two after booking his Guineas place with a solid win in the Sunlight Consolation at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Schweida has tasted Magic Millions success in the past, winning the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares race with Plain Magic in 2010 while The Odyssey won the Magic Millions QTIS race in 2021.

Hella Fast has started only four times for two wins and as many placings.

Lockwood has applied to start a new training partnership with long time off-sider Emma-Jane Vincent. 

Give Me Space is a son of Cosmic Force and was knocked down for $75,000 at the Magic Millions sales to Chinchilla trainer Rodney Hay.

In six starts, Give Me Space has missed a place once and is a three-time winner.

“His win in the Vo Rogue was fantastic and all his sectionals were sensational,” Lockwood said.

“He had to go back from a wide draw last start and he’ll have to go back again.

“There’s no use getting caught three or wide four so he’ll have to be ridden for luck. It is what it is and we can’t change it.”

Lockwood is yet to have a starter in the Magic Millions Guineas.

“I’ve never had a runner in this race but I trained Trustful who ran second in the Magic Millions Classic behind St. Jude (in 1990),” Lockwood said.

Meanwhile, Mason is on the comeback trail and is a Group 1-winning trainer.

He is now the private trainer for owner and breeder Michael Sherrin and has booked Craig Williams, who has overcome an ankle injury, to ride Street Chase.

Mason won the Caulfield Cup with Arctic Scent in 1996 before moving to the Sunshine Coast two months ago.

“Street Chase’s last run was terrific in the Vo Rogue and he only got beaten a nose,” Mason said.

“This distance will suit him perfectly and he keeps stepping up every time we raise the bar with him.”