Getafix to be set for the 2025 Epsom Handicap

Once a Golden Rose hopeful, Getafix is starting to justify the early expectations of his trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton with a powerful performance at Randwick.

The three-year-old followed up a strong midweek win with a last-stride success in Saturday’s TAB Handicap (1400m), edging out Cool Jakey by a nose in a dramatic finish.

Charlton said the stable had always rated Getafix highly, even comparing him alongside Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as a future star.

“The things you can see him do in the mornings if you ask him to do them, he’s a big, powerful horse,” Charlton said.

“He has got good capability of going to stakes level in time.

“We will just keep building his confidence. He is a real confidence horse. He’s got the ability to feature in good races.”

With Jason Collett in the saddle, Getafix ($4) hugged the rail before bursting through late to defeat Cool Jakey ($6.50), with It’s A Knockout ($2.05 betting favourite) finishing a distant third.

Charlton noted that taking on older horses at this stage of Getafix’s development was a strong test, and one the colt passed with flying colours.

“That was (benchmark) eighty-eight grade and he’s a three-year-old so that’s a fairly good effort,” he said.

Meanwhile, Linebacker is back in work and on track to trial in a month ahead of a spring target in the Epsom Handicap.

Earlier in the day, Royal Supremacy ($19) showed off his European credentials with a strong win in the Eremein Handicap (1800m), pleasing connections with his finishing effort.

“He will stay a lot further than that and that should give him a bit of confidence,” said Maher stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord.

“There are some nice races. There is a race like the Metrop if he’s up to better and all those Cup races so hopefully he will keep going the right way and we’ll see a lot more of him.”

Getafix’s emergence has made him a watch for punters – compare odds across Australia’s top betting sites before his next run.