Nine year old Magic Consol is unlikely to take his place in the 2018 Cox Plate although he gained automatic entry with his win in the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at The Valley today.

Magic Consol, above, has gained automatic entry into the 2018 Cox Plate with his win in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The winner of the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes gains an exemption from the ballot for the Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27 but trained Paul Preusker said that the weight for age championship might be a little out of Magic Consol’s depth.

Preusker was at Morphettville today saddling other stable runners but said the stable was keen on the chances of Magic Consol leading into the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes today.

“He has had nine weeks between runs but we made that choice, he only had a week off and he had quite a bit of residual fitness,” Preusker said.

“He ticked all the boxes the other day so h was going in fit and we had a little bit of an interest on him.”

The Horsham trainer said that it was tempting to take a spot in the Cox Plate but he would have to discuss it with Magic Consol’s owners but the veteran galloper would be facing a massive task if he was to take up the offer.

“It definitely is but I will go back to the owners, but I have said all along that 2000m is the bottom of him and a 2000m at that level might be 2400m to him. We will toss it about and go from there,” Preusker said.

Winning part owner Peter McFarlane was also of the opinion that Magic Consol might be a little bit out of his class in a Cox Plate.

“The horse has done a magnificent job and he has the writing on the board in the last three or four months,” McFarlane said.

“But I don’t know about a Cox Plate.”

Winning jockey Jordan Childs had Magic Consol ($19) in the firing line for the entire trip and pounced on the leaders on the home turn and fought hard to the line to record an upset nose win over Homesman ($15) with a head back to third placegetter, the $3.40 favourite Night’s Watch.