Leading Adelaide jockey Todd Pannell can’t wait to rekindle his partnership with South Australian sprinter Beau Rossa at the Magic Millions carnival.
He missed out on riding him during Melbourne’s spring carnival due to COVID restrictions, and is now looking forward to flying into Brisbane on Boxing Day morning for the Falvelon Sprint (1200m) at Doomben.
“It’s been a little bit difficult, especially with the couple of times he raced in Melbourne.
That first time I wasn’t able to get over there and it was very, very difficult after that but it was good to see him race well in Melbourne,” Pannell said.
“He’s obviously had a little break now he’s come back good, he looks terrific and looking forward to the coming weeks.
“Me going over there on Boxing Day is sort of a hit and run mission. I won’t see him for too long that time, but next time I go in January I’ll get there a couple of days before-hand and see him and definitely give him a pat and a carrot, and check that he’s doing well in the Gold Coast facilities.”
Pannell has been with Beau Rossa since he was a baby, which made it all the more difficult to miss out on riding him in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes in August where he was narrowly beaten by Behemoth.
In the seven starts Pannell’s had on Beau Rossa, the duo have won four times including the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville.
The four-year-old gelding is tracking well for Queensland, with the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 15 likely to be his grand final for the Summer.
“I’ve always had a big opinion of this horse from day one. He’s always showed a lot of ability,” Pannell said.
“At the start he was a big baby and he’s starting to grow into himself now - he’s putting it all together.
“Will Clarken was able to go over to Sydney to watch him trial last Tuesday.
“It looks like he’s settled in well going around in the Sydney direction and that’s also the Queensland direction, so he’s already adapted going that way.
"We're really, really looking forward to the future.”
A 10 per cent share in Beau Rossa was up for sale in the Inglis online auction but failed to make his $110,000 reserve.
