Following a couple of ordinary barrier draws it was easy to understand why top jockey Brad Parnham had an extra spring in his step when Magnificent Andy came up with a favourable gate in Saturday’s Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Pinjarra.
The barrier ’gods’ hadn’t been kind to Magnificent Andy, one of the most consistent and honest gallopers racing in Perth, evident again when he ran cracking seconds from wide draws in the Northam Stakes (1300m) and Belmont Sprint (1400m).
Magnificent Andy, a Magnus gelding trained by Stephen Miller, exited gate 14 in both the Group 3 races when 1 ¾ lengths behind boom three-year-old West Star in the Northam Stakes and a neck adrift of The Boss Lady in the Belmont Sprint.
In a welcome turnaround, Magnificent Andy jumps from barrier five in the Hyperion Stakes, adding to Parnham’s confidence that the six-year-old is well positioned to take out and win the weight-for-age feature for a second consecutive year.
“I’m obviously pretty confident going into the race,” Parnham said on TABradio.
“His runs in recent times have been really great, he always gives 100 per cent all the time.
“His last two starts we’ve drawn a bit awkward; we were caught wide in the Northam Stakes.
“The other day (Belmont Sprint) I managed to get across but probably rode him a little bit closer than I would have if I had drawn a gate.
“Now that we’re up to a mile we’ve drawn a good gate, and I can position him where I want.
“He won this race last year and I give him quite a big chance to go back-to-back in the race.”
Since winning the Hannans (1400m) two years ago, Magnificent Andy has gone to a new level in reputation and class.
He’s been without a win since the Hyperion 12-months back but has held his own in several of the state’s biggest races.
He finished fourth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes, fourth in the $5 million Quokka and runner-up in the Group 3 Gold Rush.
A $1.2 million prize earner, he’s won 10 races from 37 starts, with seven of those wins coming at 1400m.
Although most effective at 1400m, Parnham believes going forward he might be best served at the mile.
“I think so,” Parnham said.
“He still is very strong at the 1400m, but I think he’s developed into a horse that might be better at the mile.
“His effort last start was great over the 1400m, but to me The Boss Lady was a bit too sharp for him.
“I look forward to seeing what he can do tomorrow, but he should be going very close.”
Since Tabtouch markets opened Magnificent Andy and Western Empire have been locked in a favouritism battle.
Western Empire missed the Belmont Sprint with a foot issue and has not raced since The Quokka in April.
Magnificent Andy is currently quoted at $2.80, in from $3.50.
Western Empire, who opened at $4, has trimmed to $3.
Bustler, unplaced in the Belmont Sprint, is on the third line at $9.
Parnham is also booked to ride Fat Roy Slim, Real Deluxe, Bannered and Multinational.
Julio Santarelli