Eleven Eleven Takes a Swing at G1 Glory in Manikato

Greg Hickman is firmly focused on making it four Magic Millions wins in succession with his improving sprinter Eleven Eleven on the Gold Coast in January, but first the Sydney trainer has two group 1 races in Melbourne in his sights for the talented son of Fastnet Rock .

Eleven Eleven galloped at Moonee Valley Oct. 20 for the first time ahead of Friday night's Manikato Stakes (G1), his first start in Melbourne and first run since the death of his influential dam Smokin' Alice in August.

One of Edinburgh Park principal Ian Smith's top-producing mares—she also provided the Wingham studmaster with his maiden AU$1 million yearling—the U.S.-bred Smokin' Alice had to be euthanized after succumbing to prolonged feet issues.

"She had some major issues with her feet and, unfortunately, it'd been ongoing for a few years and she had to be humanely destroyed," Smith told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.

"I have plenty of good stock coming through (from the family); they've all produced nice foals this year, so I am sure there will be plenty of others coming through with similar bloodlines."

The Magic Millions Cup winner for the past two years, and declared the winner of the 2020 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas upon the disqualification of Alligator Blood, Eleven Eleven finished third to Apache Chase in the Tab Kingsford-Smith Cup (G1) in May during a brief Queensland winter campaign.

Hickman confirmed Eleven Eleven was in line for a two-start campaign in Victoria; the Manikato Stakes and the Champions Sprint (G1) at Flemington on the final day of the VRC carnival.

After which he will proceed to the Gold Coast with the Jan. 14 Magic Millions day already circled in the calendar by Hickman.

 "I'd love to win four of them (Magic Millions races)," Hickman said Thursday.

"They're restricted sort of races and I'm not trying to be smart, but they're a little bit easier."

Eleven Eleven won a Randwick barrier trial last month, an indication that the best may yet still be ahead for the horse, and Hickman was happy with the way the 6-year-old galloped yesterday, working home his last 400 meters in :24 flat.

"I thought it was good (work) for his first time around here. He did everything right, he floated a little bit, but he got on all his right legs, so (jockey) Damian Lane was very happy with his work," the group 1-winning trainer said.

While Lane was in the saddle yesterday, Hugh Bowman will ride Eleven Eleven on Friday night, with the gelding drawing barrier seven in the field of 14 plus four emergencies.

Hickman believes he made the right call to send the horse to Melbourne rather than have Eleven Eleven resume in the Sydney Stakes (G3) last Saturday.

"The Sydney Stakes (first-up) was going to be a strong race and sometimes a change in environment helps horses, too, so going around the other way (anti-clockwise) is a little bit different and there's another race at the end of the (Victorian) carnival, 1,200 meters down the straight; you don't often get the chance to run them in group 1 races," the trainer said.