A Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival campaign for reigning Doomben 10,000 winner Music Magnate will determine whether or not the Bjorn Baker-trained galloper targets the $10 million The Everest 2017 this spring in Sydney.
Music Magnate will defend his Doomben 10,000 title in Brisbane before a possible run in the $10 million The Everest in Sydney this spring. Photo: Steve Hart.
In a bid to draw some of the spring talent away from Melbourne, the $10 million The Everest (1200m) is now the world’s richest turf race and will run for the first time at Royal Randwick on Saturday October 14, 2017.
The weight-for-age sprint presents as an incredible option for connections that have the money to buy into the race, which could include those of the Baker-trained Written Tycoon gelding Music Magnate.
Five-year-old Music Magnate was sent to the paddock last month after his disappointing 12th behind the three-year-old winner Russian Revolution in Rosehill’s Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) on Golden Slipper Day.
The Warwick Farm-based Baker however has since opted to bring the seven-time winner back into work ahead of a winter bid in Brisbane where a title defence in the $700,000 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 13 is likely.
Pre-nomination Doomben 10,000 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au only rate the galloper a $21 chance to go back-to-back in the event for the first time since Apache Cat (2008-09).
The markets are led by four equal favourites at $8 for the win including the Gai Waterhouse-trained mare English who chases successive All Aged Stakes wins in Sydney this Saturday.
Since his breakthrough Group 1 win, Music Magnate has enjoyed just one other victory taking out the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) first-up as the odds-on favourite in late January.
Baker is hoping to get the galloper back to his best form with the winter and spring riches – including The Everest – calling.
“If he did happen to get back to his top form, we may just give him a couple of runs and put him out and try and get him to the Everest,” Baker told Racing Victoria.
“To put him out was the right thing to do as I don’t think he would have been competitive in the T.J. [Smith Stakes] the way the track was and he’s probably going to have a jumpout at the end of this week.”
Also Brisbane-bound for the stable is four-year-old Stratum mare Egyptian Symbol, last seen running second to In Her Time in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Randwick in early February.
The Wyong Magic Millions 3YO & 4YO Stakes winner won her Monday jumpout over 900m at Rosehill, convincing Baker the best is yet to come with the progressive sprinter.
“I think we’re still yet to see the best of her,” Baker said.
“It sounds strange but she’s a big mare and really she’s just grown into her frame and we’re just thrilled with what she did this morning.
“I think the key is to ride her cold as we did today [in the trial].”
Along with a possible Doomben 10,000 run alongside Music Magnate, other key Brisbane targets for the mare include the $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10 and the $500,000 Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) a fortnight later.
“You’ve got to be in to win and of course we’ll have a look at the Stradbroke, maybe even the Doomben 10,000 and then the Tatts Tiara at the end of the carnival,” Baker said.
To check out the full early Brisbane Group 1 racing odds as well as futures The Everest 2017 betting head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
