Miss Magnum pops the champagne with breakthrough win for Darby Syndications

MONDAY: February 22, 2021: BLINKERS have done the trick with lightly-raced filly Miss Magnum.

The champagne corks were popping after she raced to victory at Bathurst today at only her fourth start – and second this campaign.

Hawkesbury’s leading trainer Brad Widdup clinched his 17^th win of the season when $5 chance Miss Magnum (Alysha Collett) beat Sea Stitch ($13) and Miss Jay Fox ($3.30) in the Maiden Plate (1108m) for three-year-olds and upwards.

And he didn’t hesitate in crediting the addition of new gear to his filly’s new found form this preparation.

“Miss Magnus has really jumped out of the ground since I put blinkers on her,” he said this evening.

“She raced well first-up when second at Muswellbrook on February 8, and took another step forward today.

“Miss Magnum weighs 510kg and is strong enough, and I’m sure there is more improvement to come.”

Raced by a Darby Racing syndicate, the Magnus filly was a $15,000 “cheapie” in Adelaide as a yearling, and her trainer isn’t surprised she is showing ability.

In breaking through with Miss Magnum today, Widdup continued a successful association with the filly’s family.

“Darby Racing gave me her older half-sister Pleasantries (by Foxwedge) to train and I had won races with her at Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange from the only two starts I gave her,” he said.

“She was only lightly-raced and because of her ability, they bought Miss Magnum in Adelaide.”

Widdup didn’t race her as a two-year-old and started her only twice as an early three-year-old when she was unplaced both times at home and Canberra.

He trialled her twice this time in work leading up to her Muswellbrook resumption.

Miss Magnum is the last Australian foal of her dam, the American-bred mare Polite, who was exported to the Philippines in 2018.

HOOFNOTE: Widdup is delighted with the progress of his Golden Eagle runner-up Icebath, and is looking forward to taking her back to the races for her second start this campaign at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

He has confirmed apprentice Tom Sherry again will partner her in the $200,000 Group 2 Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbreds Stakes (1400m).