Hay chasing Gatton double following Magic Millions miss

By Glenn Davis 

Larrikin trainer Rodney Hay went close to celebrating his greatest victory in a four-decade plus career during the recent Magic Millions carnival.

Hay owns the Barry Lockwood-trained Give Me Space who went close to pulling off a remarkable home State win in the Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast earlier this month. 

Give Me Space, ridden by Irishmen Luke Dempsey, flashed home but just failed to haul in the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Bosustow in the $3 million feature for three-year-olds. 

“I knew Give Me Space had just missed out and it was a difference of about $1.2 million in prizemoney for me,” Hay said. 

“He just ran out of time in the Guineas and I just wished the race was at Eagle Farm as he gets back in his races.” 

Hay, 64, was born at Taroom in south-west Queensland and began training there as a teenager.

He spent all his life in Taroom before moving to Chinchilla to train two years ago. 

Hay’s feet are now firmly back on the ground after the Magic Millions excitement and will head to Gatton on Tuesday with two starters. 

Five-year-old Hokkaido - a Billie Rose-Andrew mount - tackles the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1400 metres while Justin Stanley will ride Johnny Utah in the Ratings Band 0-58 Handicap over 860 metres. 

Hokkaido is coming off a last start third to Kozani in a 1500-metre Benchmark race at Kilcoy on January 2 while Johnny Utah hasn’t raced since tailing off last in a 1470-metre Benchmark race at Twin Hills in late September. 

“Hokkaido probably wants further but he’s been freshened up as I’ve been away at the Magic Millions,” Hay said. 

“He’s been on the water walker most of the time I was away and his last run at Kilcoy was good when he made up a lot of ground.” 

Hay paid $15,000 for Hokkaido who finished fourth at his only other Queensland start when fourth at Taroom last month.

“I took him to Taroom first up after I bought him on-line from down south, but he was run off his feet over 1000 metres,” he said.

Hay is hopeful Johnny Utah, a cast-off from the Chris and Corey Munce stable, can continue his good form.

“He’s first-up but he’s working good, and he’s only missed a cheque once for me,” Hay said.

“He’s won a couple on the sand at Roma, and he needed a break when he failed at Twin Hills.”