Not Supercilious but cautious

MELBOURNE – Trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin are planning a trip to Queensland for Magic Millions Day with Supercilious, who makes her return at Caulfield Heath.

The A$175,000 (S$149,000) Magic Millions Victorian 3YO and 4YO Classic (1,200m) on Dec 20 will be her first run following an operation to overcome a breathing issue.

The Written Tycoon four-year-old mare – purchased for A$300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2023 – last finished sixth to Vain Champagne in the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Handicap (1,100m) on July 26, and has been sidelined since.

Larkin said the mare is being aimed at the A$1 million Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1,300m) at the Gold Coast on Jan 17, 2026 during the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival. But she needs to get some prize money in the bank and increase her rating before that.

“Being a Magic Millions horse, we would love to get her up north,” said Larkin.

“If she can run well in this, her main plan has been the 1,300-metre Fillies and Mares race up there, but she needs to get her rating up before then.

“It will be a ‘watch and see’ on Saturday, but then she can have another run down here before she heads up.”

Larkin said Supercilious had always had a bad breathing grading, but the stable was hoping to win a race or two, even a Stakes race, with the filly while she was still a three-year-old.

“Throughout her last preparation, it was the worst grading that it could be. But, being a three-year-old filly, we wanted to make use of running in those three-year-old races and hopefully pick up some money and maybe some ‘black type’ (races),” he said.

“We kept her going until she turned four and then elected to do the surgery.

“It doesn’t always work, but touch wood, it’s been good.”

Supercilious has won once impressively with Blake Shinn in the Become An Mrc Member Handicap (1,300m) at Sandown Hillside on July 3, 2024, and placed six times in 13 starts.

The bay mare has had two jump-outs under Ben Allen ahead of her first-up run. She finished fourth over 800m at Flemington on Nov 28 before scoring at Werribee on Dec 12.

However, Supercilious will be ridden by Luke Currie for the first time on her 14th start.

“She’s trialled up really well but she’s first-up off a wind operation, so it’s always a question mark,” said Larkin.

“She’s got no gear on her. She hasn’t needed a tongue or a crossover noseband at all throughout the campaign, so it seems like it (the operation) has done its job.

“In her trials, she hasn’t made a sound and has been really clean in the wind. But, under full pressure, it might be a different story, so we’ll learn a bit more about her on Saturday.

“If her ability shines through and she can breathe, I’m sure she’ll be in the race.” RACING AND SPORTS