Australia: Unbeaten Storm Boy strong favorite in 16-horse field

There are 10 weeks to the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in Australia, and the $3.27 million race has an early favorite in the undefeated Storm Boy.

Before the Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on March 23, Storm Boy has been given another seven-figure goal in Friday’s $1.99 million Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic at six furlongs at Gold Coast Racecourse near Brisbane.

The sales progeny race will be Storm Boy’s second start at the distance, preceded by a victory of nearly 2 1/2 lengths in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Dec. 23. Storm Boy was always near the front before pulling clear to win as the 3-5 favorite.

Storm Boy was 6-5 in early betting on Thursday for the 2-Year-Old Classic and is part of a field of 16. Trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, Storm Boy will start from post 10 and is expected to have a forward position early under jockey Adam Hyeronimus, who was aboard for the win in the McLachlan Stakes.

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Highness and Spywire, first and second in the Magic Millions Wyong 2-Year-Old Classic at 5 1/2 furlongs on Dec. 13, rate as the top challengers to Storm Boy. Highness is a threat from off the pace, while Spywire could engage Storm Boy closer to the front.

The 11-race program at Gold Coast begins at 8:20 p.m. Eastern or 5:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. The card includes several lucrative sales progeny stakes, including the $1.99 million 3-Year-Old Guineas at seven furlongs.

Cifrado and Chrysaor, first and second by a half-length in the Group 3 Magic Millions Rogue Plate at 6 3/4 furlongs at Doomben Racecourse on Dec. 30, head a competitive field.

Chrysaor, winner of the Group 2 Callander-Presnell Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in October, was the 4-1 favorite as of Thursday despite his recent loss.

Chrysaor, who runs from off the pace, was a slight favorite over Cifrado for the 3-Year-Old Classic because of his recent group stakes success.

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