Richard and Will Freedman initially considered Magnatear an unlikely runner in the Shannon Stakes this week. However, a change of mind means the reliable gelding is now slated to compete.
The initial strategy involved giving Magnatear another run in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) before his main objective, the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.
But Will Freedman indicated that they determined it would be more advantageous to provide the seven-year-old with an additional start this weekend, ensuring he is in prime condition for the major event in November.
“We’d hate to be half a run short coming into the Big Dance, so we thought we’d give him an extra run now rather than try to squeeze one in after the Alan Brown if we felt he was slightly underdone,” Will Freedman stated. “It will be this one, then the Alan Brown, and then the Big Dance.”
Magnatear has been a significant success for the Freedman stable since arriving nearly two years ago.
After securing a spot in the Big Dance by winning the Muswellbrook Cup (1500m) in March, he returned with what was arguably his best performance, finishing second to Skyhook in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).
With seven victories and 15 placings from 32 starts, accumulating over $750,000 in prize money, Will Freedman highlighted the horse’s importance to the stable.
“He’s a fine wine. He just gets better,” he remarked. “I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and he said, ‘he’s so good for your business’, and I said, ‘no he’s actually terrible for my business because if he wasn’t around there might have been times I could have gone on to a different career and lived a comfortable life!’ He just keeps coming back and he’s so honest. If you had a barn full of horses like him you’d be very happy.”
A field of 10 competitors will participate in the Shannon Stakes, with the winner gaining exemption from ballot and penalty for the following week’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
Magnatear is drawn to start from the inside gate and has only failed to finish in the top three once in five starts when second-up.
Punters looking for the best racing odds can find them at Australian betting sites.
