So Magnificent finished towards the tail end of the field in the Kozzy, with the steep step up in class and hot pace proving too much for him to overcome.
Canberra-trained galloper So Magnificent put in a courageous display in the $2 million Kosciuszko (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, setting an unsustainable early tempo that tested his limits but provided valuable experience for his connections.
The four-year-old, representing Gundagai Products slot-winner Michael Borosdevi and prepared by local trainer Todd Smart, was a significant factor in the race’s exhilarating speed battle. Partnered by jockey Billy Owen, So Magnificent broke sharply and quickly positioned himself to lead the high-pressure country feature. However, the rapid 1200m pace, which was clearly setting the race up for a backmarker, soon became too demanding.
After taking control through the early and middle stages, the son of So You Think found his energy reserves depleted as the field turned for home. In the final 200 metres, he was overwhelmed by the closers, eventually fading to finish 11th behind the brilliant winner, Clear Thinking.
Despite the result, trainer Todd Smart’s stable can take significant positives from the performance. The experience of having the lightly-raced gelding perform on one of Australian racing’s biggest stages against seasoned campaigners will be a crucial step in his development. The horse ran with heart, and that was a red-hot tempo he was subjected to from a wide draw. He led the Kosciuszko field at Randwick, which is a massive achievement. The pressure on the front end was relentless, and the run will greatly season the horse. He showed he belongs in this company, but he will take a lot from feeling that high-speed pressure for the first time.
While it wasn’t Smart’s day in the $2 million sprint in Sydney, his stable was celebrating a win closer to home as Off The Press took out the Steel Supplies Benchmark 74 Handicap (1200m) at Wagga Riverside.
The five-year-old put in a strong performance to win by half a length, with jockey Blaike McDougall giving him a peach of a ride. This made it two wins from two starts for Off The Press since joining the Smart stable, capping off a successful Saturday for the team despite the Randwick result.
So Magnificent came into the Kosciuszko with an impressive career strike-rate, including a dominant win in a Highway Handicap at Randwick earlier this preparation that secured his slot. His participation was a highlight for the Canberra racing community and his home base in the Gundagai region.
The gelding is expected to head for a spell, with his trainer confident that the best is yet to come. The Kosciuszko will remain a major target in future campaigns as he continues to mature into a top-level country sprinter.
– Tully Potts
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