Anthony Cummings is confident promising two-year-old Magnier can hold his own when he steps up to metropolitan class at Caulfield providing he can handles the likely rain-affected track.
The colt impressed on debut when he led all the way for a 4-1/2 length win in an Echuca two-year-old maiden (1212m) on May 15.
After that effort Cummings needed little prompting to start him in Saturday’s The Chase Hotel Hcp (1200m).
“It was a pretty strong win first time out and it was the mark of a nice horse,” said Cummings whose syndicate races the colt in partnership with Robert Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm.
“He’s done well since and he’s a reasonable sort of a chance.”
Magnier is from the first crop of Group One winner Magnus while his dam Zergo is a three-quarter-sister to champion Might And Power.
“Magnus is doing a very good job in his first season and this colt is a good example of what the stallion is capable of,” Cummings said.
“Magnier has got a bright future. He finished off very strongly in his race the other day and I think once he learns to settle he’ll get over more ground and start to live up to his pedigree.”
The Caulfield track was downgraded from a good 3 to a dead 4 on Friday after 4mm overnight with another 30-35mm forecast.
Track manager Jason Kerr said the further rain would push the track rating “well into the slow range and beyond”.
That is a concern for Cummings.
“He’s untested on that,” Cummings said.
“He’s had a couple of trials at Caulfield on rain affected ground and seemed comfortable but at the end of the day under racing conditions it’s different and you don’t know until you’ve actually seen them there.”
Danny Nikolic takes the ride on Magnier who drew barrier eight in the 14-horse field and is a $7.50 chance with TAB Sportsbet which has first up Caulfield 1200m winner Haussmann $4.40 favourite from Clinton Affair at $5 and Dispatch at $6.
Clinton Affair also comes off an impressive debut country win having won the inaugural running of the Donald Two-Year-Old Classic (1200m) by 2-1/2 lengths on May 13.
“He’s up in grade naturally. There didn’t seem to be too much depth at Donald but there is a bit in this race, Jeff O’Connnor, racing manager for Peter Moody, said.
“We always thought he was city class and Donald just confirmed that he’s ready for this now.”
