Balcodia aimed for Magic Milions 2YO Classic
Balcodia, an un-raced son of Balmont, starred at the Belmont Park barrier trials on Monday.
Having just his second official hit-out, Balcodia sat outside the pacemaker and was unextended to take a 1000m heat by 3/4-length in 1.01.28 (with 3 3/4-lengths to third).
Balcodia has an outstanding juvenile race winning pedigree.
Balmont was rated with the world’s best two-year-olds of his year after having won both the English Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes.
Balcodia’s dam, Codes, by Bletchley Park, is a half-sister to Hantu, who won the Listed WATC Perth Stakes, was second in the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate and Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes and third in the Listed Supremacy Stakes and Crystal Slipper Stakes.
Sold to Hong Kong, where he raced successfully as Down Town, he went on to win the Group 3 Sha Tin Trophy, in track record time for 1600m, and run second in the Group 2 Cathay Pacific International Sprint Trial and Group 3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup-twice and Premier Bowl and finish third in the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and Group 2 Hong Kong Derby Trial and fourth in the Group 1 Cathay Pacific International Sprint and Stewards Cup.
Codes traces directly to the Vain mare, Rainbeam, who won the STC Silver Slipper Stakes and is the dam of champion New Zealand sire Centaine.
This is the family of Group/Listed winners Procrastinate, Laisserfaire, Foreplay, Time Thief, Personify, Centennial Park, Ballack, Galapagos Girl, Kampaign, Blake, Lone Rock, Wicked Smile, Been There, Nan Tien, Crying Storm, Walk Alone, Rain Affair and Deltona.
Balcodia was bred by George Daly, who trained Hantu, sold at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale and is prepared at Ascot by Donna Riordan.
Robert Edwards reports in The West Australian
Cheap buy dazzles in hit-out for classic
Ascot trainer Donna Riordan has unveiled a new Magic Millions Classic (1100m) challenger in Balcodia.
The son of Balmont, a $15,000 yearling purchase, underlined his credentials for the $250,000 feature at Ascot on February 11 when winning by three-quarters of a length over Always Special in a 1000m barrier trial yesterday morning.
The burly youngster showed plenty of raw speed at his second trial in the space of seven days for experienced jockey Troy Turner and should derive plenty of benefit from the hit-out. Riordan has earmarked an 1100m juvenile event tomorrow week at Ascot for Balcodia to launch his anticipated Magic Millions assault.
“I picked him out purely on type,” Riordan said. “On paper he was quite well bred and couldn’t believe we got him for the price.
“We were prepared to spend $25,000 to $30,000. I think the Balmont’s can run.
“His last trial was supposed to be 600m but they changed it to 400m.
“He is such a good doer he pulled up a bit big from last week and again this week.
“There is a fair bit more improvement with him. He has worked along with Miami Horror from his first prep.
“He matched Miami Horror on the track comfortably. He was going to race last year but we felt it would be better to turn him out.”
Balcodia is out of Codes, an unraced half-sister to former crack juvenile Hantu, who finished second in the Karrakatta Plate before being sold by owner Wally Daly to Hong Kong, where he rose to be a star under his new name of Down Town.
Riordan paid $150,000 for Miami Horror, a son of Exceed And Excel from Karrakatta Plate winner No Questions, at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale.
Miami Horror made an impressive return last Wednesday when, after slipping on jumping out of the barriers, he finished fourth to potential Magic Millions rival Saturday Skies, who was purchased in Adelaide by Ted Martinovich, over 1000m at Ascot.
He had finished third to flying filly Miss Solis, who is unbeaten in two runs, and the Melbourne-bound Fuddle Dee Duddle over 1000m at Ascot on October 22.
Miami Horror is due to have his final lead-up run in Saturday’s Westspeed Plate (1000m).
