Mr Moonlight Magic heads international brigade at Randwick

A quartet of imported horses headed by the Irish import Mr Moonlight Magic will highlight Godolphin’s global commitment to racing when they run at Randwick on Saturday, 1 September.

Mr Moonlight Magic debuts in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes in his first local start having not raced since finishing fourth in last year’s G1 Irish Champion Stakes. While Cummings is impressed with the horse, he is expecting to see the best of him later in his preparation.

“He’s obviously a horse with some ability who comes here off a solid run in the Irish Champion Stakes at his last start, but I expect him to need more time and more ground,” he said.

He will be supported by G1 winner It’s Somewhat as he begins his eighth Australian campaign and will be attempting to win his eighth Stakes race, Duca Valentinois who runs in the G2 Tramway Handicap and Best Of Days who goes in the non-graded Heineken 3 Handicap.

The locally-bred Allergic also resumes in the Chelmsford.

Of the team, It’s Somewhat is the standout performer having won the G1 Doncaster Handicap in 2017 and more than A$3 million since being shipped to Australia.

“We’ve been very pleased with his preliminary work since his break,” said trainer James Cummings.

“He only had a brief campaign last time in and he didn’t set the world on fire, but I’d say he’s come back with more vigour this time.”

Duca Valentinois (Josh Parr), who runs in the G2 Tramway Stakes, shipped south in 2015 with two, non-graded three-year-old wins at The Curragh to his credit. He has since won five races, three of them at Stakes level, including the G3 Lord Mayor’s Cup at Doomben in May at his most recent outing.

“He’s coming along nicely after being put away on a high following his win in the Lord Mayors Cup,” Cummings said.

“He’s a very honest horse who’s won at 1400m, but this is a strong Tramway”

Best of Days (James McDonald), who as a two-year-old won the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, is having his second Australian start.

The Randwick Stakes-race contingent is completed by Cristobal (Rachel King) who resumes in the G2 Furious Stakes. 

“I would have liked to run her in the Silver Shadow the other week, but she just wasn’t ready. We’ll get a good line on where she’s at in this race,” Cummings said.