2016 G1 Doomben 10,000 hero Music Magnate (NZ) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) won his 900-metre barrier trial at Rosehill on Monday, reported Racing.com. The 6-year-old is in good nick and it's all systems go for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in Dubai on Mar. 31. Quickly into stride, the gelding sat in an eager third past the 400-metre mark, before leveling off with minimal encouragement and taking dead aim on Schifty Thinker (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}). He hit the front with 100 metres to go and drew off to win by 2 3/4 lengths from the pacesetter in :52.50 (video) in the fifth heat of the day.
“He's going really, really well,” trainer Bjorn Baker told Racing.com of his last out Dec. 30 Listed Christmas Classic hero. “We couldn't be happier with him and I think today's trial is the best he's ever trialled, so he's definitely on target. We are probably going to give him another trial at Randwick in a couple of weeks, as we try to get him on the plane in the best possible order for what's in front of him. He had a bit of residual fitness from that race in December, and we've just been keeping him ticking over since. We are mindful that we want him to be fit, but we also want him to carry a bit extra for the plane trip over. It's a fine line.”
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