A quickfire race to race double for Sun Stud’s prolific Magnus, and it was oh so close to three on the trot at Sandown on Wednesday.
King Magnus kick-started it off when bringing up a double for the recently formed Griffiths de Kock Racing before the Joshua Julius-trained Just Folk refused to relinquish his lead over 1550m.
Then, Influential Girl, a full-sister to King Magnus, came within a head of making it the last three for Magnus when she fell just short of catching the favourite Tralee Rose in the final event.
Taking advantage of an inside barrier, King Magnus tracked the early lead set by Ringfort, and I Knew She Was Mine.
Matthew Allen stuck firmly to the inside rail and was gifted an uninterrupted run around the home turn to put a space on the chasing pack, which they could not overcome.
Highland Jack (Jakkalberry) was closest at the line at a safe one and a quarter lengths with Toffee Doll (Toorak Toff) the same distance back in third.
Coming off a win at Pakenham, King Magnus advances his record to three wins and a third from six starts with earnings of $62,910.
Like his 4-time winning sister influential Girl, King Magnus was bred by John Pratt.
They are the first two foals of the very talented Carnegie mare Influential Miss who won four and placed in seven of her 32 starts.
From the family of Verglas and the excellent broodmare Cassandra Go, Influential Miss had just one more foal, the Wanted filly Wanted Miss, who broke her maiden at Ballina a fortnight back.
The 4yo gelding Just Folk overcame a three-wide trip under Melissa Julius for a courageous win over 1500m.
The handsome chestnut kept giving in the straight to defeat Caffrey (IRE) by a length with Wham (Fiorente) a long-head back in third.
The winner of three of his seven starts, Just Folks is one of three winners from four to race out of the unraced Desert Sun (GB) mare Fast Ruby.
Just Folk’s brother Highclass Harry was among the most consistent horses in training before finishing out of place in the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final at Flemington at his most recent start.
A granddaughter of the 1990 Group 1 VRC Oaks heroine Weekend Delight (Racing Is Fun), Fast Ruby has a 2yo colt by Turffontein. She was covered late last year by the Teofilo stallion St Jean (IRE) but missed.
