Darren Gauci will be offered next month's Magic Millions Trophy ride on Tempest Tost after her preliminary assignment at Moonee Valley.Gauci has forged a winning relationship with the Tasmanian filly but will watch from the sidelines as apprentice Logan McGill fills in with his 3kg claim in Saturday night's Members Equity Bank Plate (1200m).Trainer Gary White said he was mindful of protecting Tempest Tost from a hard run so close to the $1 million three-year-old Gold Coast feature on January 10
Darren Gauci will be offered next month's Magic Millions Trophy ride on Tempest Tost after her preliminary assignment at Moonee Valley.
Gauci has forged a winning relationship with the Tasmanian filly but will watch from the sidelines as apprentice Logan McGill fills in with his 3kg claim in Saturday night's Members Equity Bank Plate (1200m).
Trainer Gary White said he was mindful of protecting Tempest Tost from a hard run so close to the $1 million three-year-old Gold Coast feature on January 10 and with McGill's claim she would only carry 55kg, one kilogram above the minimum weight.
"I don't want her to have a gut-buster with a big weight," White said.
Tempest Tost has posted three wins and a second from five starts and Gauci has been aboard for all three starts on the mainland.
White said Gauci had done nothing wrong on the daughter of Statue Of Liberty who he has partnered to wins at Caulfield and Flemington, and he wanted him to ride her on the Gold Coast.
"Darren will have first refusal," White said.
Tempest Tost will be White's first Queensland runner but he has been in a race against time to get her ready for the prestigious assignment after she jarred her near-side knee when sixth to Taameer in the Listed Arrow Training Services Plate (1200m) at Moonee Valley on August 23.
"She has had a limited preparation but we wanted to have get crack at the Magic Millions," White said.
He said Tempest Tost had less than 10 weeks work when she won first-up carrying 58kg on heavy track at Flemington on December 13.
The grey scored by three-quarters of a length from the previously unbeaten La Bella Roo in a relatively fast 59.87 seconds for the 1000 metres.
"To run so quick on a heavy track with such a weight was a big effort," White said.
"She has come through the race well and this week will top her off for the Gold Coast."
Tempest Tost will again clash with La Bella Roo on Saturday night but White is confident she can beat her again after she worked brilliantly during the week.
"She (Tempest Tost) is a cut above average and she galloped enormous on Tuesday at Cranbourne which justifies our thoughts about her," White said.
Owner Geoff Harper, the deputy chairman of the Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Council, bought Tempest Tost for $72,500 at the 2007 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale and she races under his Seahorse Management P/L banner.
Tempest Tost comes from a prolific-winning family with her dam Lady Violet producing 15 named foals, with nine of her 12 to race being winners including 1997 Group One Salinger Stakes winner Notoire.