Mick Mair is confident Chosen To Fly can take the next step towards a $1 million payday in January when the three-year-old attempts to win at Doomben for the first time on Saturday.Chosen To Fly will be chasing his fifth win from nine starts in the QARDSS Handicap (1200m) following an impressive victory against his own age over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.Mair has pencilled in the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m), formerly the Magic Millions Trophy, at the Gold Coast in Janu
Mick Mair is confident Chosen To Fly can take the next step towards a $1 million payday in January when the three-year-old attempts to win at Doomben for the first time on Saturday.
Chosen To Fly will be chasing his fifth win from nine starts in the QARDSS Handicap (1200m) following an impressive victory against his own age over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.
Mair has pencilled in the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m), formerly the Magic Millions Trophy, at the Gold Coast in January as the colt's main target during the summer.
Chosen To Fly has started twice at Doomben, beating only two runners home when eighth to Ringa Ringa Rosie on debut 12 months ago and finishing down the track in the Group Two Champagne Stakes won by Pressday in May.
Mair has always had a good opinion of Chosen To Fly and regarded him highly enough to contest the Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
"I've always liked him that's why we had a go with him at the Sires," Mair said.
"Unfortunately he ran into Pressday who was far too good for him."
Chosen To Fly showed good gate speed to lead the Sires' Produce field in the early stages but only battled home to finish 11th, 4-1/2 lengths behind Pressday who subsequently claimed the Group One TJ Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Mair believes Chosen To Fly is still on a learning curve because of his immaturity.
"He's still very green and has still got a lot to learn," Mair said.
"But he's on the way up and hasn't been fully extended yet.
"He's got a good future and I think he'll eventually run 1600 metres if he continues to improve."
Mair is unconcerned with a slow track following light rain in Brisbane over the past two days.
"I want to give him about three more runs before the Magic Millions and if we get a wet track it won't bother him," Mair said.
Chosen To Fly was bred by Neville Bell and was offered for sale at the Magic Millions yearling sales before being passed in for $110,000.
Bell's reserve was $120,000 but the decision to retain him already looks to have been the right move as the son of Choisir has collected prizemoney of $95,500.
Bell was a long-serving committeeman of the former Queensland Turf Club and is now on the board of the Brisbane Racing Club.
He has raced some of Australia's best horses including Sky Heights who won the AJC Derby and Caulfield Cup in 1999.
Bell stands another of his former smart sprinters, Ombra Della Sera, at his Kilto Park complex near Caboolture, north of Brisbane.
Unfortunately, Bell lost Chosen To Fly's mother, Butterfly Kisses, who died from colic two years ago.