Lyn Tolson and her daughter and training partner, Leonie Proctor, have fond memories of a Moonee Valley meeting last year when they almost pulled off a feature race double.
The two horses involved, Well Sprung and Just Magical, return to the corresponding meeting on Saturday, one chasing a stakes race, the other, honours in a handicap.
In 2015, Well Sprung took out the Listed McKenzie Stakes over 1200m while Just Magical went down by a length when second in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m).
This time Well Sprung tackles the Carlyon Stakes and Just Magical a 1200m benchmark 90 race.
“It would be nice if it could happen again but I think the Carlyon is a little bit harder this year,” Tolson said.
Well Sprung has added only one victory to his McKenzie Stakes which came at his second race outing.
Tolson describes Well Sprung as a thinker and has fitted blinkers to his gear after trying to persuade his owners to geld him.
“As a colt he was very in-and-out and needed to have his mind kept on the job,” Tolson said.
“When in amongst horses he was a thinker. When ridden out the back he thought it was fun and just watched what was going on up ahead.”
Tolson isn’t looking any further than Saturday’s return but says there’s improvement to come from Well Sprung.
“Hopefully he doesn’t do those little things he did last time,” she said.
“He’s got the ability, it’s just the brain that is the problem.”
With two runs under his belt following a splint bone operation, Just Magical is ready to run well.
Tolson said the lack of suitable trials had the gelding underdone for his first-up assignment at Moonee Valley last month before running sixth to Sooboog in the Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington on August 6.
Michael Walker, who rode horses at Moonee Valley last year, has been booked to ride them again.
