Racing: Ready to lower boom on rivals

Toowoomba colt Spirit Of Boom stormed into calculations for next Saturday's A$2 million Magic Millions Classic when he scored an explosive win in the Prelude at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Spirit Of Boom emulated the performance of his half-brother Temple Of Boom in the same race last year but did it in much more convincing fashion, scoring by seven lengths.

Starting the well-supported $3.10 favourite, Spirit Of Boom flew out of the barriers and kept running to easily beat General Shareef ($8) with the winner's stablemate Tiyatro ($41) a short half-head away third.

Spirit Of Boom put a big space on his rivals from the 300m mark to the winning post and Toowoomba jockey Kristy Banks hardly moved a muscle on him in the run to the line.

Spirit Of Boom's winning time of 51.92 seconds was fractionally outside the race record of 51.72 set by Illuminates in 2007 and he sprinted home in a sizzling 33.71, making it impossible for his rivals to reel him in.

Winning trainer Tony Gollan said Spirit Of Boom had been specifically trained for the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) and he was confident the colt would be further improved over the extra distance.

"We have been patient with him and given him plenty of time to mature so he would be ready in January.

"I expected him to race well and the blinkers have really switched him on. He will have to be hard to beat on that performance next week and the experience on the track will help him."

Spirit Of Boom's win strengthened a long-standing link Gollan has with the horse's dam side and owner, Eureka Thoroughbreds principal Col McAlpine. The horse's mother, Temple Spirit, won eight races for Gollan when he started training and was one of the first horses McAlpine entrusted to his care.

McAlpine tasted success in the Magic Millions when his legendary Eureka stallion Semipalatinsk sired 1988 winner Sea Cabin.

International jockey Darren Beadman will return to Australia ro ride emerging star Love Conquers All in the Magic Millions Trophy.

The 44-year-old has been enticed back from Hong Kong by long-time supporters Nick Moraitis and John Hawkes, who now trains in partnership with sons Michael and Wayne.

"Darren has won a BMW and a [AJC] Derby for me, and he is considered one of the best jockeys in the world," Moraitis told the Sydney Morning Herald.

- AAP