Stefi’s back … third-up queen ready to strike

There is nothing remarkable about winning a Wellington maiden third-up, but that was the starting point for Stefi Magnetica’s career and offered an insight into her.

The classy mare would go to win a Stradbroke and a Doncaster at her third run from a spell, which is where she finds herself in Saturday’s Champions Mile at Flemington.

To add to her third-up speciality, Stefi Magnetica was cruelly denied a Golden Eagle last spring when Lazzat shifted out, shutting a run she was about to take with what looked like a winning charge, relegating her to run fifth.

“She goes pretty good third-up as a rule,” jockey Jason Collett said. “She has had a tough preparation, but she showed she was back with her win [in The Invitation] the other day, and I’m sure she is going to take a lot of improvement from that.”

“She has only just come right, and she feels better than leading into the Doncaster.”

Stefi Magnetica returns to the Champions Mile after only being a length from Mr Brightside last year when she ran fourth.

Collett only got on Stefi Magnetica for the George Ryder Stakes, where she was sixth, and then had Doncaster success and was runner-up to Fangirl on her in the Queen Of The Turf.

“She is a horse that seems to get better with every run and it has been like that this spring,” Collett said. “She was all right first-up, then I rode her in a trial behind Beiwacht, and she felt great.”

 “But it was the gallop before the The Invitation that I thought ‘you’re back’.”
“She was just explosive when I asked her to go in the Invitation and it is the best I think she has gone for me.”

“There was more left in her, but she has to step up to another level in the Champions Mile, but I’m sure she will.”

Stefi Magnetica came up with barrier one and should get a soft run behind a genuine tempo, which happens when Pride Of Jenni is any race.

“Jenni makes any race interesting, but at least we know they are going to run along,” Collett said.

“She can sprint off any speed, and it will be a case of taking care of her early, and she will take care of me late.”