Trainer Gerald Ryan has revealed that the 2016 Magic Millions Sprint will be the summer goal for talented colt King’s Troop.

King’s Troop finished second behind Japonisme in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

King’s Troop showed his ability when he recorded a dominant seven lengths victory in a barrier trial over 904 metres at Rosehill Gardens on July 7 and he was well-backed before his racing debut in the Bob Ingham Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on July 18, but he was upset by Japonisme.

The Redoute’s Choice Colt was far too good for his rivals in the Place Multi Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on August 5 and he hit the line strongly to finish second behind Japonisme in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 15.

Ryan was worried that he might have given King’s Troop one too many starts during his maiden racing campaign, but he said that the three-year-old had taken a great deal of benefit from his stint in the spelling paddock and had returned for his Magic Millions Sprint campaign in outstanding physical condition.

“He had a nice seven or eight weeks spell and he has been back in the stable for a couple of weeks,” Ryan said.

“He has grown a little, but he has thickened up a lot and he looks really well.

“I was always a little bit wary that we might have been giving him one too many, but he raced well, he copped it really well and he spelled well, so he mustn’t have had too many.

“He is a horse that doesn’t exert himself on the track, it wasn’t until we jumped him out of the barriers that we got on to his ability because prior to that on the track he was just a worker.

“He is a nice horse and he has got stronger and let’s hope he can transfer it to race day.

“It is probably the sprint over 1100 metres.

“He might have one run in either the three-year-old Magic Millions at Wyong or the 1100 metre race at Randwick a couple of weeks beforehand and then he will go and run in the Magic Millions Sprint.”

King’s Troop will take on older horses for the first time in the Magic Millions Sprint and he has the chance to join Helter Skelter, Sir Monashee, Warrior Girl, Temple Of Boom, Schiffer, Shamrock Slipper, Whittington and Straturbo as winners of the race that is now worth $1 million in prizemoney.