A major Group 1 race in Western Australia is now on the horizon for the reliable gelding Magnatear, as his connections have opted to bypass The Gong in favour of a challenge in the Railway Stakes at Perth.
Co-trainer Will Freedman has confirmed that the gelding will not be among the nominations for the Kembla Grange feature. Instead, Magnatear is scheduled to depart Sydney on Monday, embarking on a journey west with the $1.5 million Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 21 as his primary objective.
“It’s a bit of an adventure for us all, and he’ll go and represent NSW in the Railway and he’ll probably stay on for the Gold Rush over there,” Freedman said.
“He’s not quite up to the topliners in NSW and Victoria, and sometimes with these horses you’ve got to get creative.
“He’s proven he can travel interstate and perform well. Last preparation he had his first-up run in Queensland, came back to Sydney and raced, then went back up to Queensland for the Magic Millions, so he’s okay travelling.
“It’s a big trip. He gets on the plane on Monday, and we’ll see how he goes.”
Magnatear has shown consistent form throughout his three starts this Sydney spring. He earned a second-place finish behind Skyhook in the Theo Marks Stakes (1400m) in September, followed by a fourth-place finish just over a length off the winner in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m), and a sixth place in The Big Dance (1600m) on November 3.
Freedman suggested that the configuration of his latest race was not ideal in hindsight, but he anticipates Magnatear will be in top condition for his bid in the Railway Stakes.
“His run in the Big Dance was good. He just wasn’t quite ready for the brutal nature of that race. They ran it in very quick time, and he was probably one run short of where we really wanted him to be,” Freedman stated.
“But hopefully after that run and a trip over to Perth, he’s cherry-ripe.”
Alysha Collett has been slated to partner Magnatear for the Railway Stakes and the subsequent Group 3 Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot on December 12.
Eastern state contenders have won two of the last eleven editions of the Railway Stakes, with Port Lockroy being the most recent winner two years ago.
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