Rock Magic will front up again in the Group One William Reid Stakes
Perth sprinter Rock Magic will front up again in the Group One William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley and his trainer believes the consistent sprinter deserves to break through at the elite level.
Rock Magic has finished fifth and fourth respectively in the Group One Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap in Melbourne in his two starts this campaign.
The eight-year-old was taken to Moonee Valley on Monday morning to re-acquaint himself with the track, with race jockey Damian Lane putting him through his paces.
Trainer Chris Gangemi was in WA but got positive reports about the gelding’s work-out.
“He’s obviously galloped there a couple of times before and raced there but it just gave him a little trip away from Flemington and a gallop on the grass,” Gangemi said.
“We were rapt with the way he worked and pulled up.”
Rock Magic was fourth in last year’s William Reid (1200m) and Gangemi believes the gelding is coming through the right form lines heading into Friday night’s weight-for-age sprint.
“He’s been super in both runs,” Gangemi said.
“He didn’t get the best run first-up having to come up the inside on the worst part of the track and I thought he ran really well.
“Against a super field in the Newmarket I thought he ran well again. Damian said it would have been nice to have something to chase on the inside there as he got to the front at the 300 (metres).
“But he ran great again.
“I think he’s coming out of the two strongest form races going into it so if it’s a touch easier on Friday night he might be a chance to run in the money.”
The William Reid has 15 nominations including Hey Doc, She Will Reign, Secret Agenda and last year’s runner-up Hellbent.
Nine of the nominations also hold entries for Saturday’s Group One Galaxy in Sydney.
Rock Magic raced twice at Moonee Valley last spring for a fourth in the Moir Stakes (1000m) and seventh in the Manikato Stakes (1200m).
“The last couple of years he’s been racing at the top level,” Gangemi said.
“He hasn’t been able to win one yet but it would be nice if he could win one before his career is over because he’s raced without luck in a lot of them,” Gangemi said.
“Hopefully if we can draw a barrier and have a bit of luck in running he should be thereabouts.”
