Winter Championship next for tough King Magnus
Co-trainer Robbie Griffiths says that seven-year-old King Magnus is "racing like a three-year-old" and it is hard to argue after the gelding notched a second win in as many runs at Flemington over the last three weeks despite being winless for more than 18 months much younger horse having won his second race in a month at Flemington.
Scoring at Benchmark 100 level over 1400 metres on May 16, he followed-up over the same distance to win again and consolidate a path to the Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) on Flemington Finals day in four weeks' time.
"He's racing like a three-year-old," de Kock said post-race.
"He never looked like not winning and he keeps batting up and doing his best."
Jockey Tom Stockdale, who was aboard last start and again this time and echoed the sentiment of a 'tough horse' reaching a new lease of racing life.
No rush for Teofilo Star in notching three-straight
Racing's first lady knows how to train a stayer and her latest shining example is Teofilo Star who notched three wins in succession with victory in the Good Friday Appeal Plate (2500m).
The gelding broke him jumping maiden at Warrnambool during the May Carnival and followed-up with victory in again over hurdles at Sandown a fortnight ago.
Back to the flat and Teofilo Star smashed his rivals at Flemington with Linda Meech in the saddle.
"I was in no rush aboard him and he was in no rush either," Meech said.
Carrying 53-kilos, the options are wider for the five-year-old as further jumping features await but also now proven at Flemington, there's more staying races ahead there through the winter.
Party For One, or more
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Party For One followed up from winning at Flemington on May 13 over 1400 metres to do the same again in the Good Friday Appeal Volunteers Trophy over the same distance.
With the rain affected track helping the four-year-old's chances even further, the mare is showing a liking to the track and distance with Blake Shinn in the saddle.
The event was a head of the Leilani Series with the final to be run at Flemington over the same journey on July 1.
Quote of the day
"It was a great example of riding to instructions."
There wasn't a lot more that Godolphin's Melbourne representative Sean Keogh felt he needed to say on assessing Celine Gaudray's winning ride on Legio Ten in the TAB/ATA Trainers' Trust Handicap (1100m) to notch three-straight victories.
