Winning Horse: Magic Max (Aus)

2yoG Magnus (Aus) - Vain Sonata (Aus)(Keltrice (Aus))

3 starts - 1 wins 2 thirds $80950

Black Type Placings

3rd G3 Morphettville David Coles Am Stakes 1200m (2021)

Other Placings

3rd Murray Bdge Riverscape Food & Wine Mdn 1000m (2021) (Debut Run)

Race Result:

1st: Magic Max (Damian Lane/Gordon Richards) - $5.50

2nd: All About Eve (Daniel Stackhouse/Andrew Noblet) - $11
3rd: Sudoku (Luke Currie/Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr) - $3.20

Winning Time: 1:10.20 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Long Head x Long Head

Winning Trainer: Gordon Richards (on phone from Eagle Farm)

“I intended to run him at Sandown but when I saw the field come together for this race I thought it was very winnable. Then I heard all the raps on how the favourite couldn’t get beaten I started to panic.

“He got to the front too early but that’s all he could really do from that gate. Never went around a horse, still doesn’t know what he’s doing but he’s a good horse in the making.

“He’s one of the picks in our stable of the young horses but having said that Garrire did a good job to win the first on the Parks track in Adelaide.

Winning Jockey: Damian Lane

“Nice horse. He really quickened nicely for me and I probably left him a bit vulnerable late but he was good.”

Eyes looked sore on returning: “The mince pies are stinging a bit. I actually left the barriers without my goggles. I didn’t realise what was happening until I was getting clods of dirt in my eyes. He was travelling so strongly that I couldn’t put them on. I actually did it a couple of times last year because when you’ve got the facemask on there’s already something on your face. I don’t know if it takes the awareness away from putting your goggles down but it’s one of those silly things.

“I was lucky the horse travelled so well. He picked up at the right time and I let him do most of the work.”

Michael Kent Jnr on beaten favourite Set The Sails: “Obviously disappointed that he didn’t get the chocolates. I’m not sure whether he’s had enough or looking for further. I think he got outsprinted at the top of the straight by the winner and then on the line he was coming back again. He just got outmaneuvered there when he hadn’t got the tactical speed to get him out of a pocket, and he couldn’t.

“He worked his way back into the race when it was all over. He’s a nice horse, promising, and probably beaten by the right horse. The winner came out of a group race in Adelaide.

“I’d say we’ll put him away for the spring and I think he’s capable of some form of black type.”