Mula keeping faith in Caulfield Guineas hope Mamaragan
Interstate trip to do the trick for Thompson’s Group 1-placed Wandjina colt
John Thompson has adopted a proven training technique often used by the late Bart Cummings in an attempt to extract the best out of his exciting three-year-old Mamaragan (Wandjina) not only for the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) but for the longer-term benefit of the colt.
Mamaragan, the Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner who was twice Group 1-placed in the Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) and Inglis Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) to round out his two-year-old season, has already arrived in Melbourne from trainer Thompson’s Randwick stables ahead of tomorrow’s Guineas.
The son of Wandjina (Snitzel), after three runs this preparation, was also accepted for the Stan Fox Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) in Sydney but connections decided head to Victoria as has last-start Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1 ,1400m) winner Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) and third placegetter King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice).
“One reason we’ve taken him down there is that John believes that he is still very immature and Bart always liked to take horses interstate as he felt that it matured them,” breeder and part-owner Wilf Mula said yesterday.
“We’d already accepted and it’s $11,000 to scratch him, so going down there is two-fold. Hopefully we have some luck for a change and, secondly, the trip gives him that experience as we’ll probably see the best of him in the autumn.
“John says he looks better than ever.”
Michael Rodd will ride Mamaragan from barrier 12 following the scratching on Tuesday of Bill Stutt Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) winner Glenfiddich (Fastnet Rock).
Last start, Mamaragan ran sixth in the Golden Rose after being ridden aggressively out of the barriers by Nash Rawiller to hold out favourite Rothfire (Rothesay) for the early lead.
Mula has put the disappointment of the Golden Rose behind him and he does not expect the colt to take any ill-effects from the experience of being ridden forward.
“We’ve never lost faith in Mamaragan and John said he’s just unbelieve on the track – he’d beat anything. It’s just a matter of getting his head right,” he said.
“He’s a horse who does what you want him to do (in the run). We like the horse, we know he has ability and we’ve worked him (in the anti-clockwise) way of going for a couple of weeks and he’s landed on the right foot every time.”
Mula bought Forbidden (General Nediym) carrying Mamaragan for $65,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale and was able to retain 30 per cent of the colt after selling him for $180,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
“I had three horses for sale that day and I sold them all pretty well, so I kept a share in all of them,” he said.
“I happened to be standing next to John and I said, ‘who have you bought the horse for?’ and he said nobody, so I said I’d take 30 per cent.”
Mula has since on-sold Forbidden, but he has kept a yearling filly by Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock).
“I have retained her because I sold the mother to a good friend of mine. The Foxwedge fillies are going well and Paul (Whelan) and I bred Foxwedge, so I have been able to keep the family going that way.”
Forbidden is being covered by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) this year.
Mula’s involvement in the Caulfield Guineas does not end with Mamaragan, with the Aston Bloodstock principal also breeding and co-owning the Mick Price and Mick Kent Jr-trained Cambourne (Redoute’s Choice).
The colt, who was co-bred and sold by the late Paul Whelan’s Luskin Park Stud at the 2019 Magic Millions sale for $300,000, has progressed rapidly to justify his place in the Guineas.
Cambourne won his first start at Donald in country Victoria on September 4 before again winning at Bendigo 12 days later. He then ran fourth in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Gr 3, 1400m), finishing two and a quarter lengths behind Crosshaven (Smart Missile).
“Mick believes he is a miler. It’s been a very compressed preparation as he only started racing just over a month ago, but I think the horse has ability and is up to black-type,” Mula said.
“We sold him for $300,000 and I kept a fair bit of him as well as I don’t like to let them go just in case one of them is a champion.”