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Maher feels the sky is the limit with Magic Millions favourite Coolangatta

Ben DorriesNews Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Coolangatta’s co-trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey James McDonald. Pic - Grant Peters/Trackside Photography.
Camera IconCoolangatta’s co-trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey James McDonald. Pic - Grant Peters/Trackside Photography. Credit: The Courier-Mail

It’s not what she has done – but what she might be able to do – that excites Ciaron Maher.

As Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO favourite Coolangatta drifted slightly after barrier 13 in Saturday’s big dance, co-trainer Ciaron Maher lavished praise on the unbeaten sprinter.

He told News Corp she had shown similar ability to the likes of Enthaar, Away Game and Dubious in their respective two-year-old seasons.

But you get the feeling Maher thinks what Coolangatta has done so far – winning the Gimcrack Stakes in a romp and then scoring on Queensland soil – is just the tip of the iceberg.

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“It’s very early, but she is very talented,” Maher said.

“She has got similar ability to our very best ones.

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“But she is different to Enthaar, she is different to Away Game, she is different to Dubious.

“Enthaar was pretty quick, Dubious was burly, strong and bombproof and Away Game was a neat little pony.

“Coolangatta still has a lot of room for improvement.”

Coolangatta drifted from $1.80 to $1.85 with TAB after drawing barrier 13 – she will come in three slots if emergencies don’t gain a start.

That was after being as short as $1.70 with TAB earlier in the week.

Of those near the top of 2YO Classic betting, unbeaten Sydney filly Russian Conquest fared best with barrier four and the Snowden-trained filly remained rock solid as a $7 second pick in betting.

Originally published as Maher feels the sky is the limit with Magic Millions favourite Coolangatta

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