Denmagic is the horse that represents rejuvenation for trainer David Pfieffer.
Some of the stable’s leading lights including Group Two winner Cradle Me, Atmospherical, who was fifth in last year’s Oakleigh Plate, and Inside Job have been retired or transferred to other trainers in the past year.
Denmagic gets the chance to lead the new brigade in Saturday’s Group Two Golden Pendant at Rosehill.
“There’s a lot of old stagers who have moved on but we’ve got young horses ready to step up to the plate,” Pfieffer said.
“The last six or 12 months for me have been quiet but I’ve got a lot of nice young horses coming through.”
In her only other attempt at Group Two level, Denmagic was narrowly beaten in the Queensland Guineas.
“I didn’t know if she was going to be good enough for the Queensland Guineas but she proved she was,” Pfieffer said.
“She had barrier 15 and was three-deep no cover first time at the mile entire trip around Eagle Farm.
“It was a tough ask and she put in well and I thought was unlucky to be beaten.”
Barrier 14 of 15 forced Denmagic to settle too far back first-up in the Sheraco Stakes on September 10.
She flew down the outside of the Rosehill straight to grab fourth in a blanket finish.
“I’m very happy with her and she’s getting better with age,” Pfieffer said.
“She might be a bit of a forgotten horse this weekend. They’ll know she’s there.”
First Seal is the $3.20 favourite to resume a winner in the $400,000 Golden Pendant and the Tim Martin-trained Sheraco Stakes winner Heavens Above is at $6.
Denmagic shares the third line with Dixie Blossoms at $7, while in-from mare Tycoon Tara is an $8 hope.
Pfieffer said he was expecting a technical race.
“We’ve drawn a single figure barrier this week but we’re still two from the outside,” he said.
As Demagic gets deeper into her four-year-old spring, Pfieffer is looking to the Group One Myer Classic at Flemington on October 29 as her main spring target.
“Who knows if she’s good enough but sometimes you’ve got to throw it at them,” he said.
Of the stable’s other emerging talents, Pfieffer is confident Dixie Chick can also book a trip to Melbourne.
The three-year-old filly worked home late to grab second at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
