Tony Gollan is looking to add to his Gold Coast Magic Millions Guineas arsenal with big improver Palladas who races in the Vo Rogue Plate at Eagle Farm Saturday

Tony Gollan has the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions Guineas favourite but believes the penny has dropped in spectacular fashion with stablemate Palladas who can emerge as a Guineas contender at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Palladas blew his opposition away by almost three lengths in his last start at Eagle Farm and needs to win Saturday’s $300,000 Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1400m) to qualify for the $2 million Guineas a fortnight later.

Flying filly Isotope is the $2.70 Guineas favourite on Ladbrokes with Palladas currently rated a $14 chance.

That price will be slashed if Palladas, who like Isotope is raced by Brian Siemsen’s Black Soil Bloodstock, wins Saturday’s Vo Rogue where he is currently listed as a $6.50 chance.

“Palladas is very much a talented horse, if he can win the Vo Rogue he will really come into calculations for the Guineas,” Gollan said.

“He was unreal in his win the other day.

“This is the sort of horse I always thought I had, I have liked him from the get-go and we gelded him after his two-year-old prep.

“It took a while for the penny to drop, he has been a bit raw and done a few things wrong for different riders but once he won his maiden he took off but then he got another couple of rides that probably weren’t what he needed for his learning

“He has just taken a while to grasp it all. But now he is improving at a rapid rate.”

The well-fancied Palladas puts them away in R1 at Eagle Farm under @MichaelRodd2 for @tonygollan @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/h58avnEmsw

Palladas, to be ridden by Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michael Rodd, has drawn barrier 15 in the Vo Rogue but Gollan feels the draw isn’t too bad considering he is certain near the fence at Eagle Farm won’t be the place to be on Saturday.

Gollan has been infused by further confidence given the horse that was runner-up to Palladas earlier this month, Dzsenifer, only narrowly went down in a mile race at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

“The second horse that Palladas beat quite easily came out and ran really well last week, so that was great to see,” Gollan said.

“It could be a bit tricky from the gate on Saturday but I’m sure the inside will be no good.

“We still have to try to obtain some sort of OK run in transit.

“Regardless, he has to win a race like this to be there in the big race on the Gold Coast in a couple of weeks, if you can’t win this, you can’t win the Guineas.”

Palladas is the top seed of Gollan’s two-pronged attack on the Vo Rogue, with filly Starosa ($11) also aiming to make an impressive Guineas audition.

Starosa’s prizemoney and the likely attrition rate above her in the Guineas ballot order means she is already close to getting a start in the $2 million race.

Gollan insists she is over the odds in the Vo Rogue after she surged home from the tail to run fourth to Isotope in the Mode Plate over 1200m at Doomben earlier this month.

“I thought her run in the Mode, over an unsuitable distance off a wide draw, was really good,” Gollan said.

“She will be a lot closer in the run on Saturday and she is getting back to her right distance.

“I think she is over the odds and going terrific.”

Meanwhile, Gollan has one eye on some predicted wet weather ahead but is aiming to trial Isotope on the Gold Coast next Tuesday, giving the filly a hitout on the track at which she will race in the Guineas on January 16.

Isotope (outside) edges out Away Game in the Gold Edition Plate at Doomben. Picture: Trackside PhotographySource:The Courier-Mail

Originally published asGollan’s big improver to launch Magic Millions Guineas bid

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