King Magnus on trial for Stradbroke Handicap
A trip to Brisbane could be on the cards for King Magnus if successful at Sandown.
The Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 15 could be a race the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained galloper is aimed at.
King Magnus is scheduled to run in the Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1400m) on Saturday, a heat of the VRC-CRV Winter Championship.
Griffiths fears that if King Magnus is successful the gelding will be weighted out of contests in Melbourne during the winter.
King Magnus is topweight with 62kg on Saturday but will carry 59kg following the claim for in-form apprentice Tatum Bull.
“If he’s successful on Saturday, there’s a chance we could take him up to Brisbane for the Stradbroke as we will probably be weighted out of options down here,” Griffiths said.
“We could stay on for the other heats of the Winter Championship, but he’s already been weighted at 62 kilos, so if he wins, he’ll be up around the 64-kilo mark.
“While you can claim in the heats, it will still be a big task for him to carry that sort of weight, while in the final there is no claims.
“He’s likely to be weighted out of the Winter Championship final if he wins a heat along the way.”
Heats for the Winter Championship continue each Saturday, with an additional heat being the Swan Hill Cup (1600m) on June 9 with the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m) carrying $200,000 in prize money to be run on July 6.
King Magnus has paid the penalty for his consistent form over a number of seasons which has seen the rising nine-year-old win the Listed Cranbourne Cup in 2021 and the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes last December.
The gelding has had two starts this campaign which have pleased the stable, including a last start fourth to Shock ‘Em Ova at Caulfield on May 11.
“We think he’s in good order after two runs back,” Griffiths said.
“He looked the winner last time in the straight, but he got down on the inside which wasn’t the best place to be.”
More Racing News
Ciaron Maher eyes four entrants for VRC St Leger
The champion stayer trainer Ciaron Maher counts one horse already locked in for Saturday's Listed VRC St Leger at Flemington, but he is pushing for substantially more involvement in the key event.Among the 28 declarations for the $200,000 2800-metre race are Awesome Artist, Noble Falcon, Intervened, and Tasmanian Derby champion...
New Zealand's Confesara eyes victory in Australasian Oaks
The track record of Roger James in capturing Australian Group 1 events for three-year-old fillies goes all the way back to the beginning of the 2000s, and he seeks to add to that tally this coming Saturday.Teaming up with co-trainer Robert Wellwood, the Kiwi conditioner has entered Confesara for the...
Adelaide hosts Niance's campaign launch
Grahame Begg, the trainer, is travelling to Adelaide featuring his capable mare Niance, potentially opening doors to a Brisbane-focused campaign for the quick runner.Since Flemington lacks fitting sprint races for Niance on Saturday, Begg chooses the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) held at Morphettville.By chance, Flemington's Anzac Day schedule...
Cap Ferrat set for reunion with Williams in Queen Elizabeth II Cup
The top jockey Craig Williams seeks to conclude a demanding weekend on a high note with a Group 1 win in Hong Kong, reuniting with 2025 Hong Kong Derby champion Cap Ferrat in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin come April 26.On Saturday, Williams boasts almost a...
Recon hands Carey elusive Hareeba Stakes success
Pat Carey, the hometown conditioner, has banished his Hareeba Stakes hoodoo after Recon unleashed a dazzling closing effort to take out the prize at Mornington.Carey had endured ongoing frustration in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m), pursuing a victory across several campaigns, notably second with Kelthorpe in 2006 and third via...
All Aged Stakes delivers Beiwacht's second elite victory
Hall of Fame conditioner Chris Waller's unbeaten autumn dominance in Sydney received a fitting finale from Godolphin's Beiwacht, who powered to a determined lead-all-the-way success versus a elite opposition in the Group 1 $1.5 million All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.In addition, Waller filled the first two...
Mornington Cup win gives Kings Valley direct entry to Caulfield Cup
Kings Valley, under the guidance of trainer Ciaron Maher, has clinched a ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup courtesy of a gritty performance at Mornington.The Listed Mornington Cup conquest on Saturday delivers the 'Golden Ticket' access to the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) scheduled for October.Maher notched his second Mornington...
Pride stable trifecta topped by Mazu in Hall Mark Stakes
At eight years old, the exceptional Mazu maintains his sharp turn of foot and zest for competition, setting the tempo wire-to-wire for his third consecutive triumph in Saturday's Group 3 $250,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m).Previously, Pride's star had mastered the Hall Mark on rain-affected surfaces where he excels, but facing...
Waller's record Sydney autumn run ends with Fireball edging Champagne Stakes
Chris Waller, the celebrated Hall of Fame trainer, notched a historic Sydney Saturday Group 1 sweep as Fireball got the better of stable companion Campione D'Italia in Saturday's $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.The autumn carnival's eighth straight (and last) Sydney Saturday of Group 1 races saw Waller...
JRA Plate victory confirms Asterix at his sharpest
The win by Asterix stood out as somewhat surprising compared to Waller's earlier triumphs, given the progressive eight-year-old gelding was dispatched at $16 into the race.Having captured the New Zealand Derby four years back, Asterix lost momentum for a period before flashing his class last summer with a win in...