A Squeeze Of Time - January 9
  Story By Adam Blencowe     

Tuesday, 9 January 2018: The first major two-year-old contest of the season, The Gold Coast Magic Millions, sees a clash between a handful of youngsters who have shown promise against the clock.

Jonker heads betting for the Magic Millions
Jonker heads betting for the Magic Millions


Much has happened over the month (slack over the holiday period I know) since the last 'Squeeze Of Time'.

Jonker , the focus of our latest 'squeeze' - which you can read here - won the Wyong Magic Millions and, in the process, knocked off Bondi who we were upbeat about based on the strength of his Randwick debut.

Jonker is now favourite for the first major juvenile clash of the season at this weekend's Magic Millions on the Gold Coast and that is going to be very interesting for those with a penchant for speed figures - and given that, it is a perfect subject for 'A Squeeze Of Time'.

The reason that this is likely to prick the ears of speed-figure fans is that, for all that it was undoubtedly a promising performance, Jonker's time at Wyong was far from spectacular.

Jonker is a notable absentee among the top performers against the clock going into Saturday's Magic Millions which rank as follows:


Ef Troop: Speed figure 114

Bondi: 112

Sunlight: 110

Nomothaj: 109

Legislation: 105


Ef Troop has the best performance against the clock heading into the Magic Millions with his overall time looking even better when finishing speed is considered. Not only was Ef Troop fast overall, his closing splits hint at him being faster still.

Bondi produced a very smart time behind Performer on debut but, like his stablemate Legislation, he was unable to replicate a smart debut time at start number two. That is a concern, but their supporters will no doubt point to the record of their stable in two-year-old features - particularly with horses seen to have raced flat in their lead up.

Sunlight was very sharp last week and of those with fast times in the book she looks the best set-up for Saturday. She hits the Millions all guns blazing on the back-up and her appeal is both obvious and deserved.

Nomothaj claimed the scalp of Sunlight at Flemington back in October and produced a good time in doing so - a time that looks better when, similar to Ef Troop, we consider her finishing speed.

There's almost certainly more to come from Nomothaj, but there is also far more on her plate now with the Magic Millions sure to be a higher-pressure test than the one she passed with flying colours back in October.

Jonker is a way short of this quintet on the clock but of course having not run fast time in the past is no barrier to running fast time in the future. A fast horse can run slow time.

A slow horse can't run fast time, however, and with several having established themselves where Jonker may or may not go 'A Squeeze Of Time' has to be firmly against him being at the top of betting.




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