MAGNUS GOES PLATINUM

Promising first season sire, MAGNUS, has ended the week the way he started … on a winning note.

Following the victory of How Swede It Is at Mornington on Sunday, Magnus’ chalked up another winner with the speedy, Platinum Kingdom, in New Zealand today.

Lining up in the Swaps Stockfood 2YO at Awapuni, Platinum Kingdom raced greenly but won comfortably over the 1200m journey to record his initial win from only four outings.

Trained by Lisa Latta (who explained that Platinum Kingdom had been gelded since his last start second – when beaten a lip at Trentham on 17 March), the flashy youngster wasn’t missed by punters who backed him into even money favouritism.

Post race, Latta enthused that Platinum Kingdom is going “to make a beautiful 3YO”, while jockey Kelly Myers explained that despite racing greenly, “the race was never in doubt”.

The authority of today’s win certainly augurs well for Platinum Kingdom who ran a 1.5 length fourth on debut after being slowly away, while he was just three panels shy – after running into plenty of trouble – in a Group Three at Taranaki in February at his next start.

Linebred to Mr Prospector through two daughters, Platinum Kingdom is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Miss Rangoon, a half sister to multiple North American stakes winner Spring Meadow.

A Group One winning sprinter who didn’t race until he was a spring 3YO, Magnus now has two winners from seven runners with three of the seven being stakes placed.

Anthony Freedman’s Magnusificent went close to making it a daily double for his sire when a gallant second in the opening race at Geelong.

Forced to do most of the work up front with Wakeel, Magnusificent had beaten off his rival with 100m to go, but was left a sitting duck for the fast finishing debutant in Dazzler.

Still, it’s been a big week for Magnus disciple, Kevan Wacey who bred and owns How Swede It Is and also bred and retained a share in Magnusificent, who is out of his winning Hurricane Sky mare Discretionary, a half sister to Group winning 2YOs Doubting and Clinton.

Magnusificent was sold by Eliza Park, on behalf of Kevan, for $100,000 at last year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions.

Hoofnote: Keep your eye out for the Gai Waterhouse trained, Magnetron, who clocked a fast time in winning his trial at Randwick yesterday.

A $130,000 purchase for Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Magnetron is out of the winning Zabeel mare, Iresistabeel, a close relation to another Group winning 2YO in Serendipity.

Given the success of the Waterhouse stable and, indeed, that of Denise this year with Magic Millions winner Driefontein, don’t be surprised if Magnetron turns out to be a ‘star’ in his own right.