2025 Winter Championships Series Final at Flemington: Winter warrior Magnaspin ‘better than’ form suggests

Magnaspin could be a potential sleeper in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday, especially from a soft draw.

Magnaspin won first-up at Sandown. Picture: Scott Barbour /Racing Photos

Magnaspin could be a potential sleeper in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday, especially from a soft draw.

In-form Malua Racing-trained Magnaspin has raced keenly on speed at Flemington the past two starts and faded out of contention.

The five-year-old was ridden with cover first-up at Sandown as a $61 outsider and duly saluted.

Co-trainer Will Larkin said referred to the Sandown tactics as the blueprint for Saturday.

“He is at this point in time better ridden with a bit of cover,” Larkin, who trains in partnership with Leon and Troy Corstens, said.

“He’s been asked to do a bit of work early and led at too fast a tempo, which doesn’t allow him to finish off.

“We’ve got to get things right with him in the early stages and then he’ll be the one improving dramatically.”

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A kind draw would boost the Corstens-Larkin cause.

“We can bury him straight away, wide gates sometimes can have the opposite effect on him because he jumps so well and then it’s really hard to bring him back,” Larkin said.

“If he draws wide we might have to look at something else, I just want to get him back in form because he’s going so much better than what his last two starts suggest.”

Larkin has He’ll Rip also nominated for the Winter Championship Final but the in-form gelding is set to be held over for a 1400m assignment at Caulfield on Saturday week.

“It’s just a better race for him to go and (hopefully) win off the back of his recent form,” Larkin said.

“He’s probably looking for another 1400m run before he goes to a mile.”

He'll Rip let rip in the final furlong, wearing the leading pair down 💥@[e-mail]/IZKKk6VWZw

— Racing.com (@Racing) June 1, 2025

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The Winter Championship Final has attracted 27 nominations — 16 to start — including Berkeley Square, Detonator Jack, Welwal, Jimmy The Bear and Casino Seventeen.

Malua Racing, who saddled a double last Saturday at Caulfield, has in-form Marble Nine set for the Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m).

Race-hardened Marble Nine has won three of eight starts for the preparation including the past two.

“He just needs to hold that form to be competitive,” Larkin said.

Santa Ana Moon is set to contest the Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m) on Saturday.

The Corstens-Larkin team has saddled at least one winner the past four Saturdays in Melbourne.

“We’re getting more winners in town than what we are in the country which sometimes can be hard to do,” Larkin said.

“The right ones are firing at the moment and hopefully it’s momentum we can take into the spring.”

Santa Ana Moon, the grey relation to Santa Ana Lane, spears through the pack under talented apprentice @hannah_edgley 🌕@MaluaRacingpic.twitter.com/g2qMVrReSh

— Racing.com (@Racing) June 14, 2025

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Meanwhile, Group 2-winning sprinter Baraqiel is set to jump out at Werribee on Friday.

Baraqiel has recovered from a suspensory injury sustained when third in The Meteorite last year.

“He’ll be down to trial this Friday and then into another one, without putting pen to paper just yet he’s likely to kick off in the (Group 3) Bletchingly (Stakes),” Larkin said.

“He’s nice and sound … handling everything we’re throwing at him.

“We’ll progress on how he pulls up after each bit of work … the main aim for us this time in would be a (Group 1) Manikato (Stakes) because he is so dynamic at The Valley.”

Originally published as 2025 Winter Championships Series Final at Flemington: Winter warrior Magnaspin ‘better than’ form suggests