King Magnus Strikes for the Locals in Cranbourne Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday November 13

A tough, grinding drag it out finish on a heavy track played into the wheelhouse of King Magnus, who bounced back from troubled fifth in the Group 1  Kennedy Cantala Stakes to claim Saturday’s $500,000 Listed TAB Cranbourne Cup (1600m).

It was a triumph for local trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock as Lachlan King guided the 6yo son of Magnus to a half-length win over the fast-finishing favourite Our Playboy (Sebring) with the crowd-pleaser So Si Bon (So You Think) a half neck back in third.

One for the locals King Magnus (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

With his first stakes success, King Magnus advances his record to seven wins, six seconds, and a third from 22 starts with earnings of $749,410.

Except for a five-week break, King Magnus has been on the go since June, making ten starts.

Advertisement

Griffiths said that the wonderful training facilities had played a part in keeping the runners on the track.

“Don’ttelltheboss had twenty runs, so he has another ten to go,” Griffiths joked.  

“The team have done a fantastic job. He is going to have a break now. We spoke to Greg Carpenter the other day about nominating him for the All-Star (Mile). Whether he is good enough, he will have a lot of backing.

“Matt and I thought he could go out after the Cantala, but he pulled up so well.”

The King of Cranbourne (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Like his 5-time winning sister, influential Girl, King Magnus was bred by John Pratt.

They are the first two foals of the very talented Carnegie mare Influential Miss who won four and placed in seven of her 32 starts.

From the family of Verglas and the excellent broodmare Cassandra Go, Influential Miss had just one more foal, the Wanted filly Wanted Miss, who has won a maiden at Ballina from 29 starts.

Nothing quite like winning the local feature (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

King Magnus becomes the 25th stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s Magnus.

The son of Flying Spur is covering his 14th book of mares for a fee of $15,400 (inc gst).

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab Cranbourne Cup LR 1600m

Cranbourne Track: Heavy(10) Time: 1:40.76
1
King Magnus
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Influential Miss (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Lachlan King 56
Magnus
2
0.5
Our Playboy
- 4g Sebring (AUS) x Mischief Night (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Zac Spain 55
Sebring
3
0.7
So Si Bon
- 8g So You Think (NZ) x Black Minx (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: L Nolen 60
So You Think
4
0.9
Mystery Shot
- 5g Shooting To Win (AUS) x Mystique (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Craig Williams 54
5
1.6
No Effort
- 7m Reward For Effort (AUS) x Hold The Lion (AUS) (Lion Cavern (USA))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Beau Mertens 56.5
6
2.9
Age Of Chivalry
- 6g He's Remarkable (NZ) x Onyx (NZ) (Kaapstad (NZ))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damian Lane 59.5
7
4.1
In A Twinkling
- 6g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Moment In Time (AUS) (Archway (IRE))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: C Newitt 57.5
8
4.3
Buffalo River
- 6g Noble Mission (GB) x Fashion Insider (USA) (Indian Charlie (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jordan Childs 60
9
11.3
Holbien
- 7g Pierro (AUS) x Carribean Sunset (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: S J Richards Rdr: Teodore Nugent 54
10
14.3
Barbie's Fox
- 5m Foxwedge (AUS) x So Barbie Says (AUS) (Kenvain (AUS))
Tnr: Ms L Bonella Rdr: Lewis German 54
11
15.1
Don't Doubt Dory
- 5g Fiorente (IRE) x Doubt No More (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: J R Welsh Rdr: Patrick Moloney 54
12
19.6
Lunar Fox
- 4h Foxwedge (AUS) x Grant's Moon (USA) (Malibu Moon (USA))
Tnr: P A Preusker Rdr: B Prebble 59
More Reading...
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Group Double for Magnus at Caulfield
The loss of much missed Victorian favourite sire Magnus was highlighted on Saturday when he had a race to race Group double at Caulfield with Just Folk landing the Group III MRC Eclipse Stakes (1800m) followed by King Magnus in the Group III MRC Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m).