Talented staying three-year-old Jungle Magnate warmed up for the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) with a strong staying performance to land the Gr.3 Chairman's Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
The son of Tarzino is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, with the stable also preparing Jungle Magnate’s multiple Group One winning sire to win both the Victoria Derby and Rosehill Guineas.
Patiently ridden by Damien Oliver, Jungle Magnate came from near the rear of the field to score by just under a length from favourite Harleymoven, with Saint Tropez well held three lengths away in third.
Jungle Magnate relished the solid tempo and was as strong as anything through the line which bodes well for his Derby assignment, with Price delighted to get another good winner by Tarzino.
“We are buying them (the Tarzinos). We had Natural Mystic (by Tarzino) win on Thursday first-up over a mile,” Price said.
“We know the breed. They are tough horses. They are good boned horses. They have scope, good size and strength about them and he is doing a good job that stallion.
“They make very good 2000m horses and Derby and Oaks types.
“You saw David Vandyke’s filly (Gypsy Goddess) run very well on a bog track when second in the Australian Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m).
Price went to $75,000 to secure Jungle Magnate out of Westbury Stud’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft, with the Gerry Harvey-owned stud the home to Tarzino.
The talented three-year-old is out of the Casino Prince mare The Love Of Money, who has a trio of Brazilian Group One winners in her immediate pedigree.
"You shouldn’t be doing much with them as two-year-olds," Price said. "He’s just a horse that we’ve looked after with these races in mind.
"We did run him in the VRC Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) but he was a bit over the top that day but we have had a nice program for him this preparation. I think he’ll be back for the South Australian Derby and I think he’ll get the distance and let’s hope he can win."
Damien Oliver, who rode the gelding to a promoted victory in the Mornington Guineas (1600m) two starts back said Jungle Magnate had the right credentials for the Derby.
"He is heading the right way. The strong pace suited him today and he hit the line full of running so it was a good effort," he said. "Harleymoven challenged us strongly but he fought him off well."
A breakthrough Group victory for Jungle Magnate, the gelding has now won three of his eight starts and was twice stakes-placed in the spring, having finished runner-up in the Listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m) and third in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m).
