It is not often a year away from racing will rejuvenate a gelding the way it has King Magnus.
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained galloper is a rising eight-year-old and is at the highest level he has been to in his 30-start career.
And judging by the way he is racing he is not done with yet.
King Magnus is aiming for a hat-trick when he steps out in the Brian Beattie Handicap (1420m) at Flemington on Saturday following successive wins over 1400m at the track on May 13 and June 3.
Arthritis saw Griffiths and de Kock bite the bullet and give King Magnus an extended break during 2022.
With a return aimed at the Winter Championship Series, King Magnus has played his part this campaign netting connections almost $170,000 in prize money for a career tally just shy of $1 million.
De Kock has been with Griffiths for three years and has seen the transformation in King Magnus.
“He was four when I joined Robbie and he had only won his maiden,” de Kock said.
“He’s unique. You could not say he was a good-looking horse as he was a homebred, but what’s inside him, his anatomy, is extraordinary.
“Cardiovascular, his data on the treadmill and the track is good but the biggest thing is his will to win.
“The year off has rejuvenated him and he’s at his highest ever rating.
“That’s fact, not opinion.”
How quickly King Magnus found winning form after his break did surprise de Kock.
He thought the Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 1 might have been King Magnus’ race.
It still may be, but he may pay a further penalty if successful on Saturday.
“If he wins on Saturday, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he got beaten in the final,” de Kock said.
“He would have won three of the lead-ups and you would already have a good level of money in the bank and the final is only $50,000 more.
“It’s not like the final is more lucrative than the heats.”
