Freedmans, Parr make Magic start at Rosehill

Richard and Will Freedman were nearly ready to cut ties with Rolling Magic after an uninspiring beginning to his racing career. However, their patience was rewarded when the gelding surged to victory in Saturday’s Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.

The rising five-year-old had offered little in his first two preps but took a major step forward last spring, picking up three provincial wins and placing in the $500,000 Four Pillars.

“After his first prep, he was only a stone’s throw away from the Inglis Digital Sale,” Will Freedman said.

“We tipped him out for five months and he has come back a fifty times better horse than what he was.

“As soon as you threaten the box door, they put in a good one.”

Things didn’t look promising heading into Saturday’s run, as Rolling Magic had been dealing with a foot abscess and uninspiring trial form. Freedman wasn’t bullish on the horse’s chances and had tempered expectations among the owners.

Still, Rolling Magic ($7) responded when it counted, running down Khumbila ($8.50) in the final stages to win by half a length under Josh Parr.

“I probably got it wrong because I told, not only the press, but the owners it was quite unlikely he’d win,” Freedman said.

“He is getting closer to where he was when he had a good run of form. He has always looked really well, he just hasn’t been able to finish off his trials that well and some horses just don’t trial that well.

“There is certainly a lot of improvement left in him.

“If he didn’t win today, we were going to have another crack at the Four Pillars but that probably gets thrown out the window with the ratings points.”

Parr echoed the sentiment that there’s more to come from the consistent gelding.

“His coat is quite woolly and he was really fresh pre-race in the mounting yard and even in the barrier,” Parr said.

“I think there is good improvement to come but thankfully he has got the job done today.”

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