Magic at Bendigo

A winner on a Friday afternoon is always a nice lead-in to the weekend and we were pleased to see Sunset Magic back to her best with a soft victory at the Bendigo meeting.

Close up at her previous outings in strong company, the Zabeel mare appreciated a drop in class and the 2200m proved the ideal trip.

“It was a good win aided by a lovely draw and a lovely ride,” Michael Moroney said, noting that Glen Boss “always rides our stayers really well.”

“He puts them into a lovely spot and gives them every chance.”

Boss, confident of Sunset Magic’s fitness and stamina, was happy to ride her aggressively and she sat off the leader – travelling well throughout.

“When you have a staying type like this one it is best to put on the speed and make it a stamina contest,” he said.

“She has been racing very well in higher grades,” Boss continued, noting that Sunset Magic was deserving of her second victory having broken her maiden at Caulfield in February.

“The indications are that she handles the wet tracks so she can go through the winter continuing to pick up prize money.”

Ballymore boasts a good record at the Queensland carnival and we are looking forward to seeing how our stable fare up there this year.

One filly we have a lot of time for is Asadauskaite who should get a nice run from barrier three for Damian Browne in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet on Saturday.

“She looks to have a lot in her favour,” said Moroney.

“She is coming off a really nice win on firmish ground and she is at on her best on rain affected ground which she gets this time.”

“She looks a very nice chance of getting some black type.”

On Sunday we take a couple of promising types to Echuca, kicking off with Rising Stock in the opening event, a two-year-old handicap.

“He has won a jump-out,” Moroney said of the ¾ brother to multiple Group One winner Wall Street – “but he is very green still.”

“He has drawn badly (barrier 14 of 14) but there are not really any options around for him so we are going to run.”

“He is a nice horse but still very new.”

If It Don’t Fit lines up in the Echuca Handicap and is expected to acquit himself well.

Doing his best work late when resuming over 1400m last month, the lightly raced four-year-old is proven at the mile of Sunday’s contest and he strips fitter.

“He too has drawn the outside gate but he ran well first up and should be improved.”

“He is far better than this grade and with luck in running should prove hard to beat.”

On Tuesday we saddle up Walloon Region at Mornington. Also second-up having run a solid fourth when resuming at Sale, the Danzero four-year-old has progressed nicely.

“It was a good run, he should be improved and he has been working nicely. From a nice draw (2) he should run very well.”