Waterhouse out to bolster Millions team

Wednesday 18 December 2013, 2:12pm

Two gear changes have been employed to give the Gai Waterhouse-trained Spirit Of Joy every chance of joining Echo Gal in next month's Magic Millions.

Spirit Of Joy will try book her ticket to the Gold Coast through a win in the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Thursday.

She is the third betting pick at $6.50 in an early market which suggests the $200,000 lead-up will be a match-race between Sheer Style ($2) and Unencumbered ($3.50).

But Tulloch Lodge spokesman Mark Newnham insists Spirit Of Joy has more to offer than a mere supporting role.

"I give her better chance than that," he said.

A daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown who is owned by a syndicate of prominent racing women, Spirit Of Joy left nothing on the track in her debut fourth to Memorial at Rosehill last month.

"She just overdid it from the wide gate," Newnham said. "She's got good speed but probably we need to just harness it that little bit."

Spirit Of Joy will race without blinkers on Thursday and a nose band will be applied in a bid to curb her willingness.

Her stablemate Echo Gal is one of the Magic Millions favourites after recording an easy win at Warwick Farm last week.

Bookmakers rate Waterhouse a much better chance of claiming the Wyong Magic Millions 3YO Stakes.

Golden Slipper placegetter Sweet Idea resumes after a bleeding attack put paid to her spring after one run and she is a $1.55 favourite to make a winning return.

"Sweet Idea is a big filly who takes plenty of work so she'll improve again off tomorrow," Newnham said.

"But from barrier one off set weights ... for what she has done so far she's well placed."

Sweet Idea was beaten by Thump in a photo finish to the Silver Shadow Stakes but bled, earning an automatic three-month ban from racing.

"It was unfortunate because the form stood up out of the race during the rest of the spring," Newnham said.

– AAP

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