MAGNUS – IT’S ALL IN THE TIMING

If WA racing folk ever needed a reminder as to the bona fides of Magnus, they got it in spades during the Crown Perth Handicap over 1200m at Ascot yesterday.

The flashy 3YO, Magnifisio looked – well, magnificent – in scoring for the strong Jim Taylor stable and now has two city wins and three placings from just six outings.

Hailing from the stakes winning Key Business mare, Ifestio, and bred by Rangeview Stud, she was offered up for sale at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions and found a new home when knocked down to Alan Macalister for $80,000.

There’s nothing like timing in this business: Magnus is just shy of Casino Prince on the Second Season Sires’ ladder by winners … as it turns out, the sire of Magnus’ close relation All Too Hard, who won the Group One CF Orr Stakes yesterday. All Too Hard - and Black Caviar who returns in the Lightning this Saturday – are both out of Helsinge, a half sister to Magnus’ dam, Scandinavia.

And did we mention timing? Eliza Park will offer two Magnus yearlings at the Perth Magic Millions on 19 February … (Lot 3) a half sister to eight winners – including Group winning sprinter Dance The Waves, from the multiple stakes winner Timeless Winds (see below); plus (Lot 130), a colt closely related Australian Horse of the Year in Research.

And let’s not forget the Magnus filly (Lot 75) from a 12-time winning, stakes placed half sister to Group Two winner, Nuclear Freeze, which is bound to be one of the highlights at this week’s Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale.