For the sake of $300, trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock have kept their options open with ultra-consistent King Magnus.
Originally electing to bypass the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday, the race could become an option if the race falls away at acceptance time.
King Magnus was one of 20 nominations for the Group 1 handicap as a bit of an afterthought following the gelding’s run at Flemington last Saturday.
The gelding finished fourth to Harbour Views in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) and the plan was to head to the Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 2.
Griffiths said King Magnus was not a horse that had successfully backed-up from week-to-week previously while also noting with his handicap rating of 90, and weighted on 52kg in Saturday’s race, he was well out of the handicap.
But with a $ 1million purse up for grabs and the cost of nominating just $300, Griffiths said it was a worthwhile exercise to see how the field shapes up.
“We’ve thrown him in just in case on Wednesday morning you hear that some haven’t accepted, it’s fallen away and we’re bucking our brands off,” Griffiths said.
“Then all of a sudden there is $1 million on the table.
“If it looks like it is going to change in the next day, we’d be silly not to have a conversation for the sake of $300.
“But if all the key players are all bucking their brands off and have accepted, the high probability is that we’ll be running at Flemington in three weeks’ time.”
King Magnus has been ultra-consistent this campaign.
After putting on a rodeo display first-up at Sandown in June, King Magnus has registered two wins, three seconds and a fourth in his sixth subsequent starts, with his two victories coming over Saturday’s course and distance.
