Miller hopes for a Magnificent Lee Steere Stakes
Top trainer Stephen Miller believes Magnificent Andy is poised for victory and can stamp his Railway Stakes (1600m) credentials when he tackles the Group 2 Perth Racing Member Appreciation-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Miller’s confident prediction is drawn from Magnificent Andy’s previous run in the Eurythmic Stakes (1400m) when he finished powerfully for third behind, Comfort Me, beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Group 3 event three weeks ago.
The form out of the Eurythmic Stakes was well and truly franked seven days back when runner-up and gun mare Super Smink rallied home to make a welcome return to the winner’s list in the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m).
Currently $4.80 with betting sites, Magnificent Andy sits on the third line of betting with Comfort Me the $4 favourite and Searchin’ Roc’s, a luckless fifth in the Eurythmic Stakes after racing wide, rated a $4.20 chance.
To jump from barrier one for jockey, Brad Parnham, Magnificent Andy can sit on the back of likely leader Comfort Me and in their rematch meets the eight-year-old 3 ½ kg better at the weights under weight-for-age conditions.
Miller said Magnificent Andy had improved and has exhibited positive signs since his last start effort in the Eurythmic Stakes.
“He’s done pretty well and is probably a bit more fitter,” Miller said on Tabradio.
“I think his last run he was sort of back to it and I’m looking forward to it.
“I thought he would run well and he did and he’s come through it pretty good.
“We are heading in the right direction, I think.”
A winner of the Hannans Handicap (1400m) last year, Magnificent Andy shot to Ascot carnival prominence in the winter after winning the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) and The Joey (1200m).
Parnham is on the hunt for his second Lee Steere Stakes trophy in three years after booting home Massimo for the Gangemi brothers in 2023.
Meanwhile, Miller believes bypassing the Fairetha Stakes and taking on older horses in the South African Airways Handicap (1400m) will pay off ahead of the WA Guineas (1600m) for his top three-year-old, Elite Missile.
“I just think it toughens them up a bit, racing against older horses,” Miller said.
“I would have preferred it to be a mile, but it is what it is.”
At $4.40, Elite Missile holds narrow market lead over Keshi Boom, $4.60 with betting apps in Australia.
With Parnham aboard, he has drawn barrier 14.
Elite Missile is second up after posting a smart win on his return three weeks ago.
Miller expects Holly Enchantment to show improvement in the Listed Luckygray Stakes (1800m).
More Racing News
Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa share up for grabs
A share in last month’s Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa is being offered on Inglis Digital. The five percent share is one of the headline lots that form a Halo Racing unreserved reduction, offered on behalf of the late Colin McKenna, who died last month. Also up for grabs is five percent...
Despite rating, 2024 WA Guineas hope high for Andrews
As a three-time champion of the WA Guineas (1600m), top line trainer Trevor Andrews has a good handle on what it takes to win the Group 2 feature. Trevor Andrews will have two bites of the cherry at winning his fourth WA Guineas on Saturday and despite what the market says he...
Sydney form to pay off for trainer Chris Waller
To run or not to run is a question hanging over many stables as a heavy track presents itself at Doomben. The two listed race features – the Recognition Stakes and the Tattersall’s Classic – could yet be impacted by scratchings but it is in another race on the card where...
Cranbourne Cup 2024 wait and see for Maher quartet
The Ciaron Maher stable is still deciding which of their quartet of acceptances it will take up the challenge with in the Listed Cranbourne Cup. Three of the runners in Saturday’s 1600m contest are also among acceptances for the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) on Sunday. Nugget, Cosmic Vega and Flash Flood have accepted for Kilmore...
Air of confidence surrounds Maher’s The Gong squad
Big Dance winner Gringotts is the clear top pick of Ciaron Maher’s squad for the $1 million The Gong, but the leading trainer won’t be surprised to see the horse’s biggest threat comes from of a stablemate. Gringotts had three-quarters of a length to spare over barn mate Vivy Air in the Big...
Rey shooting for stars in The Meteorite
From the time two slot races were announced by Southside Racing, the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable knew they wanted to be a part of it. Griffiths was born and bred in the Cranbourne area and was one of the first to establish a barn at the Cranbourne Training...
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
