Trainer Grahame Begg is hoping luck will be on his side as he chases a second All Aged Stakes victory with Magic Time.
Successful last year on a heavy track, Magic Time heads to the Group 1 weight-for-age contest over 1400m at Randwick on Saturday coming off a similar performance in the T J Smith last start.
Magic Time drew barrier one in last year’s T J Smith, finishing seventh in the 1200m Group 1 sprint, while in this year’s edition on April 5 she drew the same gate and finished sixth, beaten one-and-three-quarter lengths.
Begg said Magic Time is better performed when she can get some galloping room and would like a similar draw to last year’s All-Aged Stakes when she was successful from gate six.
“She has drawn barrier one in the T J Smith both years, and it’s been rinse and repeat,” Begg said.
“She got beaten just over a length last year and it was similar again this time.
“She was down on the inside being dictated to when you are trying to hold your position too close to the lead.
“She’s much better when she has a little room to move, ridden a little more cuddled back and allowed to wind up into her race.
“She ran very well and they’re great races, those races.”
As evidenced by the margins in the past two T J Smith’s, Begg said there was not a lot between the top sprinters engaged in those races.
Begg said a lot of it comes down to luck on the day.
“There’s not a lot between them, two lengths between the top 10, and it’s luck on the day,” he said.
Michael Dee won last year’s All-Aged on Magic Time, but Jordan Childs takes the ride on Saturday having ridden the mare in her three starts this campaign, including a first-up win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in February.
Magic Time’s first Group 1 success came in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in November 2023.
