Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason chases Magic Millions riches in incredible renaissance: ‘It’s astonishing how life works’

Not that long ago Jim Mason’s training business went belly up, sending him bankrupt. Now he is chasing a huge payday at the Magic Millions as part of his incredible renaissance in the Sunshine State.

Street Chase, the impressive winner of the Listed Pierata Plate, is one of Jim Mason's stable stars in Queensland. Pictures: File; Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason didn’t even know where the Doomben jockeys’ room was when he pulled off a stakes-level sting last month.

On Saturday, he will look to lay down a Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) marker at Eagle Farm as he continues his incredible training renaissance in Queensland for prominent owner Mike Sherrin.

Mason has Street Chase in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m), in what is a traditional Magic Millions Guineas lead up, and says he is still pinching himself after 10 years in the racing wilderness, which included going bankrupt and losing his business in Victoria.

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A call out of the blue from fellow former Victorian Nikita Beriman landed Mason in Queensland earlier this year and he is loving every minute, with three winners in six starts.

“You still have to pinch yourself, it’s astonishing how life works, you just never know what is around the corner,” Mason said.

“If you asked me two years ago and said I’d be getting one ready for a $3m race, I would have said you’re dreaming.”

Street Chase makes them chase him and het gets his first win!@kendrickracing1@[e-mail]/wEs1f9M1gm

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 18, 2024

• Caulfield Cup winner's incredible training return from bankruptcy

The 1996 Caulfield Cup winner has around a dozen of Sherrin’s horses in work from his private farm at Noosa, with $650,000 purchase Street Chase one of the more promising up and comers.

Mason said he hadn’t been reinventing the wheel, putting it down to the high level of bloodstock he had inherited.

“To be fair, they were horses that were exposed and had shown nice form, so there was no waving of the wand there, they are just nice horses that were ready to roll,” he said.

"He's a lovely horse"

Street Chase provided a triumphant return for Jim Mason in the Pierata Plate, hear from Jim and Nikita Beriman after the race!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/TqdsTXKhvA

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2024

“We work around a dozen, which suits us until we find our feet a bit. They are all good types, so it is quality over quantity really, which is what Mike is all about.

“When I came up here and saw what he had, it was a no-brainer.

“I always said I wouldn’t train again, unless it was the right circumstances.

“When this came along, I would have been a fool not to have a shot.”

Street Chase pulled off a $21 boilover in the Pierata Plate last month to put him into Magic Millions calculations, in what was an eye-opening experience for Mason.

Jim Mason won the 1996 Caulfield Cup with Arctic Scent.

• Inglis filly can upset apple cart for Magics hopefuls

“I didn’t have a clue where to go that day, I didn’t know where the jockeys’ room was, and the same thing happened to me at Eagle Farm on Saturday too, so I’m finding my way at the moment,” Mason laughed.

“I had one in the Magic Millions a long time ago, so I know the Gold Coast at least.”

Street Chase will jump from barrier 13 on Saturday in the $300,000 Vo Rogue Plate, with Mason conceding it could present challenges for jockey Taylor Marshall.

“It’s not the best barrier, he has nice gate speed and we will leave it to the jockey from there,” he said.

“He worked terrific on Tuesday morning and he seems to like his runs spaced a little bit, we don’t really have any options but to roll along and hope we can slot in.”

Originally published as Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason chases Magic Millions riches in incredible renaissance: ‘It’s astonishing how life works’