Magnapal is out to 2015 Caulfield Cup odds of $51, but jockey Dean Yendall is holding out hope that the tough stayer can record a fairy-tale win in the Group 1 event this weekend.
Magnapal has recorded three wins from four starts during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Yendall was booked to ride Magnapal after regular hoop Luke Currie was unable to make the weight of 50 kilograms and the light-weight hoop is set to ride in the Caulfield Cup for the first time since he partnered Niwot in the 2011 edition of the race.
The gifted hoop has been given a number of opportunities in big races over the last few years due to his ability to ride at an extremely low weight and he told Racing.com that he has had little trouble getting down to the weight required to ride Magnapal in the 2015 Caulfield Cup.
“It is to be a big thrill come Saturday,” Yendall said.
“The horse does go ok I think and it is always a big thrill to get a call-up for these lightweight rides and I try to make the best of my opportunities.
“I am naturally light-weighted and I don’t have any issues getting it down a bit more if I need to.
“I rode in the Cox Plate last year and I rode in the Newmarket when I rode Boomwaa for Robbie Laing when it had 46 kilos.
“You don’t want to do that every day of the week, but that is what you have to do and you just have to bear with it and get the weight down as easily as you can without doing it too hard.
“Weight is no issue at the moment.”
Magnapal has shown a degree of tactical versatility during his racing career to date, but he has been ridden just behind the leaders in his four race starts during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival to date.
Yendall admits that he was not happy when Magnapal was allocated barrier 18 at the 2015 Caulfield Cup barrier draw, but he is hopeful that he can take advantage of the light weight and push forward in the early stages of the race.
“He has drawn a very unfavourable barrier, but we will deal with what we have got,” Yendall said.
“You wouldn’t want to be getting too far back with no weight on his back and there doesn’t appear to be a heap of natural speed therefore I would like to be rolling forward to settle in a good spot.”
Magnapal is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Cup odds of $51 and he would be the longest price winner of the Caulfield Cup since Ross McDonald-trained Imposera took out the 1988 edition of the race.
Leading online bookmaker is offering Best Tote or Starting Price +20% in every single race at Caulfield on Saturday, which means that you can score the best odds for Magnapal or any other runner in the 2015 Caulfield Cup field.
