A fit and in form Magnetic Edge will line-up for a third start for the New Year when he heads to home soil again at Murray Bridge.
A start in the Magic Millions Handicap (2000m) at Murray Bridge on Saturday will be the rising 10-year-old’s third in as many weeks as he chases a third win from his past four starts.
Magnetic Edge scored at Murray Bridge on December 21 and then again at the same track last Saturday while sandwiched in-between was a sixth-place finish at ‘The Bridge’ on January 4.
John Hickmott, who trains in partnership with Carrina Riggs, said preparing the gelding locally was key in the reason Magnetic Edge was able to back-up week-after-week.
“It obviously depends on when the races are there for him, but particularly when we’re at home as he doesn’t have to travel,” Hickmott said.
“He leaves home an hour before he races or a couple hours, and he’s home again in a little while.
“I just keep saying, I’m 81 and I work every day, and footballers play 100 minutes every week.
“These blokes, if they can’t run a minute-and-a-half or two minutes every week, there’s something wrong, isn’t it?”
Hickmott had a double at Murray Bridge, producing 11-year-old France’s Boy to record his 19th victory from 136 starts beside Magnetic Edge.
He said training his team on a five-acre property near the Murray Bridge township, kept his horses happy, especially older ones like France’s Boy and Magnetic Edge.
“We’ve got a lot of boxes but a lot of them are out in quarter-acre yards during the day and they just wander around, mind their own business,” Hickmott said.
“And sometimes they just sleep in the sun.
“They get fed in their shelter and if it’s wet, they’ve got somewhere to go.
“We had a hot day on Tuesday, and that old bloke (France’s Boy) was laying out in the sun, stretched out.
“He could have been in the shade, he could have been in his shelter, but he was laying out in the sun having a nice little camp, happy as a sandpiper.
“And that’s the beauty with our place.
“I live in a house, I’ve got a bedroom, and I can be there for eight to 10 hours, if I have a real sleep in, but I wouldn’t want to be there all day.
“A lot of horses, they go out on the track, have a trot or a canter or some work, and then they’re back in their boxes and it could get very boring.
“That’s what I put it down to. These horses are fresh and happy.”
Hickmott was happy with what he saw in Magnetic Edge on Thursday morning following some work at Murray Bridge.
“He had a canter around and is as good as gold,” Hickmott said.
“He hasn’t left a spot feed since he raced. He had a quiet day on Sunday, and he looks good to go.”
