It's the last chance saloon for plenty of Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic hopefuls on Saturday but Tony McEvoy's classy filly Sunlight looms as a huge stumbling block.
McEvoy told Racenet he is "99 percent" sure his boom juvenile filly, currently on the second line of Magic Millions betting at $7, will run in the Follow Aquis Farm on Twitter 2YO Handicap (1100m) on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
That is despite the daughter of Zoustar already having earned enough prizemoney to qualify for the rich Magic Millions Classic a week later.
McEvoy's plan potentially spells bad news for other Magic Millions candidates who need to win Saturday's Gold Coast race, worth $40,200 to the winner, to get into the Magic Millions field.
The likes of Terminology, Boom Girl, Dram Of Delago, Paquirri, Sugar Sizzle and Mishani Phantom all need to win to get into the field while Commissioner and Sokudu (both dual nominated on the Gold Coast and at Warwick Farm) also need wins.
But McEvoy isn't concerned with any of that.
The champion trainer knew immediately after Sunlight's win on the Gold Coast on December 23 the Zoustar filly needed another run before the Magic Millions, and says he almost certainly won't change his mind now.
"I am flying to Brisbane today (Tuesday) and I will have a good look at her, but at this stage she is 99 percent certain to run on Saturday," McEvoy said.
"I know her well and to me, after her last run, she just didn't look fit to me.
"You have got to be fit to win the Magic Millions and I would have had to gallop her far too hard if she wasn't going to race again, and I didn't want to do that.
"I had already factored this into her program, and unless something changes dramatically she will be running on Saturday.
"There will be a few rivals on Saturday probably hoping she doesn't run, but I don't worry about that and I just do what I think is best for my horse."
There has been recent history with 2YO Magic Millions winners who have run the week before and backed up into the big race with last year's winner Houtzenand Le Chef (2015) both doing the quickfire double.
McEvoy has never won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic but believes Sunlight could be his best chance.
Sunlight has a full sister that will be offered by Widden Stud at the 2018 Magic Millions as Lot 330.
