It won't be all champagne and celebrations for trainer Mark Webb if Black Minx wins the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast.Webb is resigned to losing his star three-year-old who will go through the Magic Millions Summer Carnival sale at the Gold Coast on January 18.Black Minx is the leading qualifier for Saturday's 1400m feature with $286,000 prizemoney but is only a $26 chance with TAB Sportsbet after drawing gate 14 for Saturday's $1 million race.The daughter of Lonhro has won
It won't be all champagne and celebrations for trainer Mark Webb if Black Minx wins the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast.
Webb is resigned to losing his star three-year-old who will go through the Magic Millions Summer Carnival sale at the Gold Coast on January 18.
Black Minx is the leading qualifier for Saturday's 1400m feature with $286,000 prizemoney but is only a $26 chance with TAB Sportsbet after drawing gate 14 for Saturday's $1 million race.
The daughter of Lonhro has won five of her eight starts but is out of favour with punters for the Magic Millions Trophy after two defeats this campaign.
Black Minx was convincingly beaten in both appearances by the Allan Denham-trained Youthful Jack when fourth in the Gold Edition Plate (1200m) in her comeback at Eagle Farm on December 13 before her eighth in the Listed Vo Rogue Plate (1350m) at Doomben a fortnight later.
Webb was far from disappointed with both performances and said he expected her to be competitive in the Magic Millions Trophy.
"Her first-up fourth was okay considering she needed the run and we experimented with her last start and rode her quiet," Webb said.
"On face value her last run looked disappointing but not when you study her run closely and see she got into trouble in the back straight."
Webb rates fellow Toowoomba filly Express Air, who will jump from barrier seven, as the main threat to Black Minx.
Express Air is the $3.20 favourite for the Magic Millions Trophy following the barrier draw while the Gai Waterhouse-trained Rock Kingdom has eased to be the $4.60 second favourite after drawing gate 17.
Webb believes Black Minx hasn't lost any of her two-year-old form which produced five wins from her first six starts.
Her worst career performance was when Webb sent her to Sydney for the Group Three San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill last August but she failed to settle into her new environment and finished last to Duporth.
"I'd like to keep her. She's a top quality filly but whatever her owners decide to do is fine by me," Webb said.
"She's been entered for this month's sale and I'd say she'll go through the ring even if she wins the Magic Millions Trophy."
Black Minx is owned by Toowoomba Turf Club chairman Neville Stewart and Gold Coast property developer Bill Murray.
"She was originally bought at the Magic Millions sales with the intention of selling her at the Ready To Run sale," said Stewart, who also is the principal of Toowoomba's Oaklands Stud.
"But because of EI (equine influenza) she was locked down in Toowoomba for three months so we decided to race her.
"If she wins on Saturday she'll still go through the sale ring. She's the sort of filly who would fit in at any of the leading studs in Australia.
"But if she doesn't sell she'll go for a break to prepare for the Brisbane winter carnival."