GRIFFITHS DE KOCK RACING LANDS CRANBOURNE CUP

The training partnership of Mathew De Kock and Robbie Griffiths claimed a notable prize at Crabourne on Saturday when their charge King Magnus landed the $500 000 Listed TAB Cranbourne Cup (1600m) in courageous fashion.

Lachlan King guided the 6yo son of Magnus, who had finished fifth in the G1 Kennedy Cantala last time out, to a half-length win over the fast-finishing favourite Our Playboy with the crowd-pleaser So Si Bon a half neck back in third.

With his first stakes success, King Magnus advances his record to seven wins, six seconds, and a third from 22 starts with earnings of $749,410.

Except for a five-week break, King Magnus has been on the go since June, making ten starts.

Griffiths said that the wonderful training facilities had played a part in keeping the runners on the track.

“Don’ttelltheboss had twenty runs, so he has another ten to go,” Griffiths joked. De Kock, who had teamed up with Griffiths just in the past 12 months, was delighted with the win, saying, “To think, in our first year as a partnership in Cranbourne to win the Cranbourne Cup. It’s amazing.”

A son of G1 The Galaxy winner Magnus, King Magnus was bred by John Pratt.

The gelding, who may be aimed at the All-Star Mile, is out of the four time winning Carnegie mare Influential Miss.

Interestingly, King Magnus’ South Africa ties don’t end with De Kock – as the gelding hails from the same female line as the Bush Hill Stud based sire Flying The Flag.