Ninja eyes 2026 Magic Millions Guineas path

Michael Freedman is exploring a range of options for rising three-year-old talent Ninja, with the gelding shaping as a live Magic Millions prospect.

Ninja has burst onto the scene with two wins from three outings, including an extraordinary 11-length maiden victory at Kembla Grange before digging deep to score in Benchmark 72 company. Freedman is now assessing both Sydney and Queensland for his next start.

He holds a nomination for a Benchmark 72 at Rosehill but may instead be sent to Doomben for the Pierata Plate. A decision will be finalised after acceptances.

Each race is run over 1200m and offers $160,000 in stakes.

“I just want to see the acceptances tomorrow first, so I’m not really sure,” Freedman said.

“Either up there or here, it’ll just depend on fields and barriers.”

Although all of Ninja’s races have been run on wet tracks, he impressed in a recent Randwick trial on firm going, suggesting he can adapt as he transitions toward stakes grade.

“I’ve seen enough of him on dry tracks. His trials this time back have both been on pretty firm ground, he seems pretty adept on all conditions,” Freedman said.

“We’ll sort of put him on a pathway perhaps towards a Magic Millions Guineas.

“See how he comes up, but that’s sort of been a bit of a long-term program for him.”

With extreme heat predicted in Sydney — temperatures near 40 degrees — Racing NSW is monitoring conditions and may shift Saturday’s meeting to Sunday.

“Should the current forecast remain in place (partly cloudy, 41 deg) it is likely the meeting will be pushed back a day and run Sunday,” an update on X read.

Freedman said the $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas is the ideal third-up target, with Saturday’s race acting as a crucial fork in the road.

“If you went up there and raced Saturday, you may stay on and then run in a Vo Rogue (Plate) or something,” he said.

“Second up and then a fortnight into the Magic Millions, that’s the type of program we’ll be having a look at.

“But if we drew poorly in both on the weekend, then we’ve obviously got the option of waiting and going to Wyong next week in that three-and four-year-old race.”

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