Image: Darren Winningham
Magic Millions Guinea’s favorite Ninja was ultra impressive at Eagle Farm
A ninja must overcome challenges, know when to strike, do it stealthily, be efficient and do it with the element of surprise.
Ninja ($2.30F) – the three-year-old gelding – did all that by taking a near five-length victory in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at Eagle Farm and further cementing his favoritism for the $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at Gold Coast.
Ridden by Tommy Berry, who had not previously been on the horse, Ninja took his third win in five starts and Michael Freedman’s plan to give the gelding a month between races after finishing third at Doomben in the Pierata Plate (1200m) on December 6 comes to fruition.
Ninja missed the start and was well off the pace heading into the home turn.
It was then that Berry Ninja set a wide course around the field and drove straight through the middle of the Eagle Farm to score by a margin and deliver a performance as impressive as you would see during the summer.
“You always have to have a plan B, but that wasn’t even a plan B for me,” Tommy Berry said.
“He was so well behaved today and stood nice and calm in the gate, but when the starter shouted ‘all clear’ the gates usually opened not long after.
“I gave him a little push to jump, but there was a hold-up that made him hit the front of the gate.
“He stepped back and made a jump. We were hoping for an easy run today with two weeks in mind and he actually only sprinted 500 meters.”
Bookmakers cut Ninja’s price from $4 to $2 for the Guineas on January 17.
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