As the spotlight shifts to the Gold Coast for the heart of the summer carnival, Michael Hickmott believes Inhabit is ready to show her true ability when she lines up in Saturday’s QTIS 2yo Fillies (1100m).
The Stay Inside filly made a winning debut at Murray Bridge in October but failed to reproduce that form at Morphettville Parks last start, finishing third at $1.26 behind Moana Spirit.
That effort has since been excused after Inhabit was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia, and Hickmott said her subsequent trial win suggests she is back to her best.
“She had a jump out against the older horses and was completely dominant,” Hickmott said while on the Gold Coast inspecting yearlings.
“Her last run was basically a no race for us I’m not paying any attention to it.
“The figures that we use indicate that is she would have replicated her first start at her second and even improved slightly, she can be in the mix with these horses this time.”
Inhabit is currently rated a $11 chance, with By Choice and Skiki, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, heading the market at under $4.
Experienced jockey Todd Pannell keeps the ride, having partnered the filly previously.
Pannell boasts 35 wins and 87 placings from 410 rides at the Gold Coast over the past 15 years.
Hickmott will also saddle Cash, who endured a disrupted trip north after missing his flight from South Australia.
The four-year-old instead travelled by road via Sydney, coming off a career-high rating of 90 at Gawler before tuning up with a Randwick barrier trial on December 30.
“He will win a really good race at some stage,” Hickmott said of Cash, who has won twice and placed twice from four starts.
Markets are open with leading online bookmakers for the QTIS 2yo Fillies and Magic Millions Rising Stars, offering punters a range of wagering options.
Purchased for $1.1 million at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Cash is a $6.50 equal second favourite for the Magic Millions Rising Stars 3&4yo for colts, geldings and entires.
“It is a bit left of centre the way we had to come here but hopefully it all works out well,” Hickmott added.
The post Inhabit ready to show more at Magic Millions first appeared on Just Horse Racing.