Mic Mac Ready For Civic Stakes

He hasn’t won since 2009 but trainer Paul Messara is confident Mic Mac can return to the winners circle in the Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.

The veteran sprinter returned to the races, after a twelve month layoff due to a fractured canon bone suffered in the 2012 Galaxy Stakes, in the Ortensia Stakes (1100m) in May before running on well after missing the start to finish fourth in the Listed June Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last month.

Messara said he was very happy with the condition of the seven-year-old gelding and believes he is close to the form that saw him compete at the highest level of racing.

“It has taken a little bit of time to get him back to full fitness but his next two starts should see him back to his old form,” Messara told Radio Sports National.

“He is enjoying his work like a young horse out on the track, he is very energetic and although he is an older horse still has the spirit of a young animal.”

The Scone-based trainer said he is taking it one step at a time with the son of Statue of Liberty but the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is well and truly on the agenda.

“At the moment I’m just taking races as they come, I want to give him a little let-up and then maybe head down for the carnival in Melbourne over October and November,” he said.

Mic Mac has been a consistent performer at Group level since his debut in 2008 and was a duel Group 2 winner in 2009, triumphing in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill and the Memsie Stakes (2009) at Caulfield before finishing third in both the 2010 Group 1 T.J. Smith (1200m) and Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

He will need to be at his best on Saturday to defeat a strong Civic Stakes field that includes last-start-winner Said Com; progressive Gai Waterhouse gelding Under The Sun and classy three-year-old Dances on Stars.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.