As
a close relation to champions Black Caviar and All Too Hard, it was only a
matter of time before Magnus delivered a Group I winner and he achieved the
milestone at Ascot in Perth on Saturday when his brilliant daughter Magnifisio
captured the Group I WATC Winterbottom Stakes.
A last start winner of the Group II WATC Lee Steere Stakes at 1400 metres, Magnifisio
was freshened to run the shorter trip by her trainer Jim Taylor and was cherry
ripe for her first try at the elite level.
When Eastern States raiders Moment of Change, Bel Sprinter, Angelic Light and Sidestep failed to
produce their A game she rose to the occasion scoring a tenacious head win over
fellow West Australian sprinters Watermans Bay and Shining Knight in the rich 1200 metre sprint.
Magnifisio had to survive a protest, but retained the race, taking her
impressive record to 12 wins from 22 starts with prizemoney topping $1.1
million.
Bred and offered for sale by Rangeview Stud, Magnifisio fetched $80,000 at the
Magic Millions Perth Sale when bought by part-owner Alan Macalister and is the
best of three winners from Listed WATC Belmont Oaks winner Ifestio, who died in
2011 and was a sister to Group I winner Barakey.
She is the best of five stakes-winners for Magnus, a Group I winning son of
Flying Spur, that has really hit his straps over the last 18 months for Eliza
Park International and stands at a fee of $16,500.
Magnus is from Scandinavia, who is the grand-dam of Black Caviar and All Too
Hard, whose first progeny are foals this spring.
Based at Vinery Stud, All Too Hard is bred along very similar lines to Magnus as he is by a son of
Flying Spur in Casino Prince.