Grahame Begg will resist the temptation of aiming too high too soon with the unbeaten Magic Time.
The three-year-old daughter of Hellbent has remained in Sydney since her impressive first-up win in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 1 and is set to run in the Group 3 James Carr Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Magic Time won on debut on the Pakenham synthetic before jumping straight to Stakes company to claim the Listed Amanda Elliott Stakes (1400m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Begg, who won the Group 3 Easter Cup at Sandown on Saturday, expects the James Carr Stakes to be a carbon copy of the race she won on the first day of The Championships.
The trainer was blown away with the first-up win and favours giving the filly just one more start for the campaign and then turning her out for a break.
“It wasn’t until she got out and got a bit of fresh air that she was able to get going on the heavy track, and ‘wow’,” Begg said.
“People have been asking if she is going to Queensland, but I’m more than likely just going to give her the one more run and then back-off her again and get her ready for the spring.
“They don’t win Listed races at their second starts and win a Group race at their third race if they don’t have ability.
“That does show you that you have something a bit better than the average bear.”
While Begg favours giving Magic Time a break after one more start, the trainer will press on to Adelaide with Passive Aggressive in search of a Group 1 win.
The Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 6 is expected to be the mare’s next outing after running in the Group 1 T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick on April 1.
A winner of five of her first six starts, Passive Aggressive finished 11th to I Wish I Win in the T J Smith.
Begg said the mare had pulled up fine, but the track was too heavy.
“She’ll have an easy week, a bit of water-walker and the paddock during the day, boxed at night and then we’ll look to get her back in the stable at the end of the week and gear up for the Sangster, all going well,” Begg said.
“They went too quick in that race. Visually it didn’t look it, but I’ve been told the sectionals between the 800 (metres) and the 400 were ridiculous on a Heavy 9 track.
“It took the sting out of her, but we live to fight another day and hopefully that will be in Adelaide.”
