Magnus stretched his margin at the top of the Australian third-season sires’ premiership with an opening double at Moonee Valley on Friday evening.
Flying Spur’s most successful sire son, Magnus stands at Eliza Park International in conjunction with Yallambee Stud.
Mightiest and Valid Contract increased his stats to 59 winners of 85 races since August 1. That’s a significant lead over fellow Flying Spur stallion Casino Prince (45 winners – 70 races) well into the second-half of the season.
Magnus is second on the third-season prizemoney table ($2.32 million) behind Boban’s sire Bernardini ($3.53 million). And he owns a 54% winning strike-rate which is one of the best among the Top 30 stallions standing in Australia.
MIGHTIEST (4g Magnus – Fantagonal by Octagonal) won the Mitchelton Wines Tour Hcp (2040m) thanks to a great ride by Vlad Duric. “He’s been racing without any luck recently but we decided to throw the dice tonight,” trainer Wendy Kelly said. “He can keep going through the grades this season.”
Mightiest is a homebred for Parador Park syndicator Ken King. He also raced Bon Hoffa who gave Kelly her first Group 1 victory in the 2007 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
VALID CONTRACT (4m Magnus – Prenuptial by Take Your Partner) came with a perfectly timed finish under Craig Williams to defeat Darley favourite Metaphor in the Ascend Sales Hcp (1200m).
“That was a peach of a ride by Craig,” co-trainer David Feek said. “She’s won twice in town now and there’s enough improvement in her to aim at some black-type further down the track.”
Valid Contract’s dam Prenuptial (2000 Angst Quality) and second-dam Deal (1985 Analie Hcp) were both Listed winners at Randwick. All three fillies are homebreds for Helen Alexander and other black-type winners in the family include Winning Partners (G2 HKJC International Bowl) and Moonah Brooke (G3 Tasmanian Derby).
Magnus has sired four stakes winners in four states; Platinum Kingdom (G3 BTC Classic), Magnifisio (LR WA Summer Scorcher), Prettyhappyaboutit (LR SAJC Lightning Stakes) and Missy Cummings (LR ATC James Carr Stakes).
Some of his other recent winners with black-type potential include Miss Promiscuity, Whistle Baby, Miss Maggiebeel and Mick’s Hustler. All four were foaled at Yallambee Stud.
Miss Promiscuity is trained by Peter Moody for Rob Crabtree and she was runner-up in the G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes at Moonee Valley on February 21.
Magnus was also prepared by Moody for a syndicate that included Crabtree, Yallambee Stud’s Woodard family and Eliza Park. He was a Group 1 winner of The Galaxy in Sydney before retiring to stud in 2008.
Moody began the journey of a lifetime the following year when world champion sprinter Black Caviar won her first race at Flemington. She is from a half-sister to Magnus.
Hoofnote: Hong Kong based gelding I’m In Charge is another recent first-crop winner by Magnus. He broke through for a convincing victory in the BMW Performance Hcp (1400m) at Sha Tin last Sunday.
“It was only his second run here and there’s quite a bit of improvement to come with experience,” jockey Brett Prebble said. “His best may not even be until next season but I think he’s quite a nice horse with a future.”
I’m In Charge (4g Magnus – Obbligato by Redoute’s Choice) was bred by Rob Crabtree and was purchased by clients of Caspar Fownes after winning a Geelong maiden by three lengths on debut last July.
– Karl Patterson
I’M IN CHARGE
Brett Prebble has his rivals covered at Sha Tin last Sunday
Photo: SCMP