Wagga preview: Trainer Gary Nickson has bold frontrunner Felix Majestic primed for success in the Wagga Town Plate
An interrupted preparation for Felix Majestic could provide trainer Gary Nickson the opportunity to claim a second win in the Wagga Town Plate 37 years after his first with Grand Gaelic.
The Wagga Town Plate (1200m) on day one of the carnival wasn't on the agenda for Felix Majestic but a missed run in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and a lack of suitable options in Sydney has forced Nickson to look further afield.
'His preparations always seem to get interrupted,' said Nickson.
'I was getting him ready for the All Aged Stakes but it was going to be a wet track which he doesn't like so we didn't accept.
'He is screaming to go back the races and this is the only suitable race for him at the moment.'
A star on the rise! â�ï¸�
Briasa sits three-wide with no cover throughout and wins The Hunter! @HawkesRacing @G1TySchil ðŸ'� pic.twitter.com/Gta97iJ2Rv
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 16, 2024
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Felix Majestic resumed this campaign with an eye-catching fourth behind Eagle Nest in the Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes at Rosehill back on March 15.
The gelding normally jumps quickly to take up his favoured frontrunning role but was slow out that day and settled a conspicuous last.
'The 1100m was too short but he absolutely rattled home from last at the top of the straight,' he said.
'Then we couldn't find anything for him so I had to trial him. That was over 1200m and went to the line with his head on his chest.
'It was the fastest time of the day and Molly Bourke was just sitting on him.'
Josh Parr rode the gelding first-up but Bourke reunites with him this week where they have drawn ideally in barrier 6.
'He's a good horse. You just have to know how to ride him,' Nickson said.
'Molly knows exactly what to do and he goes very well for her.
'He's got a high cruising speed and can maintain it for the whole race anywhere from 1200m to 1400m.
'If anyone wants to take him on, they do so at their own peril. He will break their hearts.'
Queanbeyan trainer Nick Olive doesn't have a runner in the Town Plate but saddles up two leading chances on the card in the Extravagant Choice and Exceedingly Hot.
Extravagant Choice only joined Olive's stable at the start of this preparation after being purchased of Inglis Digital last October for the princely sum of $3,000.
In nine starts for Olive, he was won three races and has won over $65,000.
Extravagant Choice dominates Race 5 at Goulburn! ðŸ'° @nickoliveracing pic.twitter.com/02pg6VN184
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 11, 2025
'He has been a little ripper for us. He has definitely exceeded our expectations and I just love the horse,' said Olive.
'He is so easy to train, he just goes through everything really nicely.'
Two of his three wins have come in his last three starts over 1610m at the Sapphire Coast and 1800m at Bathurst and he looks like he will relish the step up to 2000m in the Benchmark 66 Handicap.
'He is in a rich vein of form. He has been so consistent and is absolutely thriving within himself,' Olive said.
'I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes over the 2000 metres.
'He won very well last start and was given a good ride by Caitlin (Sinclair).'
Olive has Final Comment in the same race but said he will likely be scratched after drawing the outside gate.
Exceedingly Hot scored a tough win at Wagga on March 1 followed by two good placings and is a leading chance in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1600m).
'He is another horse who is really happy. He has just thrived the last couple of months,' Olive said.
'Drawing barrier 1 is ideal for him. He will should get a lovely run and hopefully he's right there in the finish.'
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Circumstances have just been against Titanium Miss at her past two starts but trainer Tracey Bartley is banking on a big drop in class and a return to her home track to get the filly back into winning form.
Titanium Miss was caught three-wide without cover on a sizzling speed when ninth behind French Ruler in the Provincial-Midway Wildcard at Wyong two starts ago.
She then went to Randwick for the Group 3 James H B Carr Stakes on April 19 where she finished last behind Lilac, beaten just over four and-a-half lengths.
'The other day, I think it just the quality of the race that told on the end result,' Bartley said.
'She was whacking away alright and just stopped the last little bit.
'I had a blood test dome and couldn't find anything wrong.
'She faced the breeze out wide at Wyong and they went 10 lengths faster than standard for the first 1000m that day.
'It was a ridiculous speed and she had to stop.
The @BWiddupRacing trained Money Team takes out the Gosford Provincial Midway Qualifier and books a spot at Randwick for the Final! �
Joining them in the Final is Mogul Monarch from the @kimwaugh6 stable, securing qualification with a strong second-place finish! ðŸ'� pic.twitter.com/E2B4taFcBU
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 15, 2025
'Her two runs before that were really good and on those performances, she is right in this race.'
The three-year-old filly has drawn barrier 7 in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1350m) with Tim Clark to ride.
'The barrier is ideal and she can roll forward at her own tempo,' he said.
'I think we might have fought her a little bit hard when holding her up.
'We will just let her roll forward and if she leads, she will lead on her ear and can dictate the race. We will do a Gai Waterhouse.
'She drops considerably in class so she should be able to go into this race and perform to her best.'
Earlier in the day, Bartley expects Think Of One to figure prominently in the Midway Maiden Plate (1600m).
The son of So You Think resumed over 1400m at Scone when sixth behind Spenzalot and will relish the step up in distance.
'Aaron Bullock come back after the race and said get him out over a mile. He will appreciate that,' Bartley said.
'They were just a bit nippy got him over the 1400m. Under the circumstances, he was quite happy with him.'
'I think he finds himself in the right race.
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