Emerging New Zealand jumper Magnanimous Man has been purchased by clients of Patrick Ryan and looks a likely Grand Annual runner for the Warrnambool trainer.
“There’s a bit of a wrap on him,” Ryan said.
“He’s only had a handful of jumps starts, for two wins. His last jumps run (unplaced) was in the Great Northern Hurdles in October.
“He handles all types of conditions and has some ability on the flat as well as being a very handy jumping prospect.”
Ryan, a born-and-bred Warrnambool boy whose biggest local win was with Video Star in the 2008 Warrnambool Cup, has a burning ambition to train a Grand Annual winner.
“The Grand Annual is the race that all jumps trainers would love to win,” he said.
Magnanimous Man was due to arrive in Warrnambool on Friday.
“We’ll have a good look at him and start planning a campaign towards this year’s Grand Annual,” Ryan said. “I’ve been told he’s in good condition, which should help us.”
The seven-year-old has won six of 29 starts, five of those victories coming on wet tracks.
Bowman lowers sights
Group 1-winning Warrnambool galloper Begood Toya Mother is just weeks away from a return to the track, according to trainer Daniel Bowman.
Begood Toya Mother has failed to bother the scorer in eight runs since his Group 1 victory in the 2019 Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
Bowman said the lightly raced six-year-old arrived back in his stables on Thursday last week after doing pre-training at Euroa. He had a gallop over 800 metres at Terang on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy with how he’s progressing,” Bowman said. “I’m quietly confident he’ll come back all right.
“Of the eight races he’s had since his win in the Rupert Clarke, four have been Group 1s.
“I think we’ll set him for some open handicaps this campaign before having a look at listed races.”
Begood Toya Mother has won eight races from 21 starts.
Josh targets May
Bendigo trainer Josh Julius has earmarked stable stars Just Folk and Highclass Harry for Warrnambool’s May carnival.
Julius, who started his training career in Warrnambool before relocating five years ago, says he’s looking forward to returning home for the carnival.
“Both horses (Just Folk and Highclass Harry) have had a good break. They both go well on wet tracks so I’m expecting them to be competitive over the winter months.”
Just Folk has won three of seven starts, Highclass Harry five of 17.
Black-booker
Bull Dust: The Quinton Scott-trained Zariz gelding finished back in the field in a benchmark 64 over 1200 metres at Ballarat last Sunday but the performance was better then it looked. Rising in class after two consecutive wins, Bull Dust battled to the line well. It was his fourth start of the campaign and only his fifth overall, so Bull Dust should be further improved next start.