The lack of two-year-old races in Victoria has forced Danny O’Brien to start two youngsters at Flemington in preparation for the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast.
Stupendo and Hell Hath No Fury clash in the Greg Miles Trophy (1100m) on Saturday with the potential of then heading to trun in the Magic Million 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 15.
Both two-year-olds are by first season sires – Stupendo a colt by Supido while Hell Hath No Fury is a filly by Hellbent – and have shown their trainer ability.
O’Brien said it was not ideal to have them facing each other on debut.
“We’re forced to run on Saturday because there is no two-year-old race in Victoria until Boxing Day, so it makes it very complicated trying to get the horses to the Magic Millions,” O’Brien told RSN.
“We’ve got to put them both in the race on Saturday and hopefully see what they’ve got.”
To date O’Brien likes what he has seen from both youngsters, although he said Hell Hath No Fury was a little further advanced than her stablemate.
He said both had galloped and jumped out nicely at Flemington before making a trip to Werribee on Monday for some further education.
“I think Hell Hath No Fury is the most bombproof,” O’Brien said.
“She has been an absolute angel from the day she came in. She has a really great temperament and she’s done everything we have asked of her.
“The colt (Stupendo) is a little more of a work in progress and he did a little bit wrong down at Werribee, so I’d she is the more complete racehorse at this point in time.”
While O’Brien is expecting both to have promising two-year-old careers, he does expect both horses to train on in their three and four-year-old seasons.
“Horses that show really good talent before Christmas are normally competitive throughout their careers,” O’Brien said.
“They’ve got the ability to get up early and the only reason they are up early is because they have plenty of talent.”