Maher Dreaming of Millions redemption
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The Ciaron Maher-trained Icarian Dream is being aimed at the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1,400m) at Gold Coast on Jan 17.
PHOTO: RACING AND SPORTS
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GOLD COAST – Icarian Dream came up short in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1,200m) in 2025, but trainer Ciaron Maher is happy to give her another shot at Gold Coast glory.
The daughter of Blue Point will contest the A$3 million (S$2.6 million) Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1,400m) at Gold Coast on Jan 17.
The race is run 12 months after she finished 12th to O’ Ole in the 2YO Classic when she started from the outside gate.
While the two-time winner has a formidable force to contend with in the Michael Freedman-trained Ninja, Maher is glad to be back with her.
“We were coming to the Gold Coast 2YO (Classic) full of confidence until the barrier draw (when) I think we got 20-something,” he said.
“She’s always been a horse with a lot of ability.
“Two starts ago, she ran well and it was then we thought, ‘right, we’ll aim up here at this race’.”
Icarian Dream heads into the 3YO Guineas after her last-start third, beaten two lengths by the recent Magic Millions Sunlight 3YO Plate (1,100m) winner Grafterburners, in the Listed Gold Edition Plate (1,200m) at Eagle Farm on Dec 20.
That was her second third placing in a row, following unplaced efforts in her first three runs as a three-year-old, after being beaten 2½ lengths by Sheza Alibi in the Group 3 The Vanity (1,400m) at Flemington on Nov 1.
“She went off and she had a few little growing issues, or soreness issues, and I just feel like her last run and her run prior to that were both full of merit and back to what we originally thought of her,” said Maher.
“I think she’s going very well. She’ll do a piece of work during the week and be right to go.”
Icarian Dream holds down the second line of betting in the Guineas, behind Ninja who is a dominant odds-on favourite after his breathtaking win in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1,300m) at Eagle Farm on Jan 3.
Maher also has a strong hand in the 2YO Classic, a race he has won previously, with Away Game and Coolangatta, with Tornado Valley and Unit Five towards the pointy end of betting in the 1,200m race. RACING AND SPORTS
