RACING
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Trainer Geoff Hall reckons Majestic Reign's triumph at Kembla Grange shouldn't be under-estimated.
With the rail out nine metres, the five-year-old son of Choisir ground home out wide in the Benchmark 60 (1300m) to score by a head over Iron Meteorite at the post.
It was a result which came against the grain for many of the day's other victors.
"There were no horses bar him that came from the last part of the field and win," Hall said.
"Not trying to be biased but I think he was the best run on the day there. Coming to the 600m he must have been giving them six or eight lengths' start."
It was further than that immediately after the barriers sprung open. Majestic Reign dropped to a clear last after the jump and plodded along near the rear before jockey Tony Cavallo reached for the accelerator.
Cavallo fanned closer to the outside fence coming into the straight but it did little to halt his charge.
He hit the front 200m from home and showed plenty of guts under the whip to hold out Iron Meteorite in a tight finish.
Radical Impact came in third.
"Being first-up over 1300m, it was a good effort," Hall said.
"I think he will run more than that. He got a mile at Goulburn and the race didn't suit that day because there was no speed on."
Hall wasn't prepared to lock in plans for the gelding's next start but had a few things on his radar.
"It is hard to find a race, but I will find one. I will give him another run," he said.
"There are some races coming up in Sydney over 1550m and that sort of thing but I just don't want to pop him up straight away until he is up to that mark.
"You don't want them racing on their heart, you want them racing on their condition. He is a nice horse and I'll have a lot of fun with him."
Earlier in the day, Gai Waterhouse notched up a double in race four when Muscovado saluted with Thomas Huet on board.
Golden Aro had given Waterhouse the opening race on the card.