Music Magnate (NZ) Makes Stylish Return in G2 Expressway

Group 1-winning Karaka graduate Music Magnate (NZ) (Written Tycoon) returned to racing in style on Saturday with a polished win in the A$200,000 Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

Music Magnate is an outstanding Karaka success story, and trainer Bjorn Baker acknowledged the good timing of Saturday’s win with the 2017 National Yearling Sales Series about to get underway.

"Those sales are this week so hopefully we can get another few cheap buys that go on to succeed as well as this guy has," said Baker.

The five-year-old, who cost just $45,000 at Karaka and has earned almost A$1 million in prizemoney, was making his first start since June.

He made up for lost time, taking the lead at the top of the straight and kicking away to win by a length and a half with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.

“It’s always a little bit nerve-racking with a horse like that coming back,” trainer Bjorn Baker said.

Music Magnate was bred by NZ Thoroughbred Holdings Ltd, which is owned by Westbury Stud boss Gerry Harvey. Westbury offered him at the 2013 Select Sale, where Baker purchased him for what now looks like an incredible bargain.

Music Magnate has now had 14 starts for seven wins, five placings and A$942,125 in stakes. This was his third stakes win, having previously won the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) and the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m). He is now expected to be aimed at the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 1.