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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Grahame Begg is adamant classy mare Magic Time will be at her absolute best for Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5 million Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick having set her specifically for the race.

And he likes the presence of a free-runner like Buffalo River to ensure a genuine tempo as he did in the spring when the four-year-old notched her first Group 1 in the Rupert Clarke.

Begg said he’s seen plenty of merit in Magic Time’s two runs this autumn and expects her to be more than competitive.

Trainer Grahame Begg. (Pic: Steve Hart)

“I think she’s run particularly well,’’ he said.

“She was beaten just over two lengths in the Newmarket and didn’t get any cover, and raced a bit fresh.

“Unfortunately the one gate was probably detrimental to her chances in the TJ Smith, it was the worst part of the track on the inside.

“She was always going to be peaking third-up so we think that’s the case.”

Magic Time, $9.50 with TAB on Thursday, has raced four times at 1400m for her Group 1 win, another stakes win plus a Group 3 placing and an unlucky third in The Invitation over the Randwick 1400m back in the spring.

While he felt barrier one didn’t help her cause in the TJ Smith she was only beaten a length by Chain Of Lightning but will have more options, especially with Buffalo River running them along, from a gate a little off the fence.

“He was in the race when she won the Rupert Clarke, I think that’s a very good recipe for her,’’ Begg said.

“A lot of those horses have had some hard racing, she’s been specifically trained for this race and it gives her the opportunity. Espiona is probably the one to beat, she’s had a similar sort of preparation.

“There’s not a lot between any of them and it’ll be who gets the right run on the day, and things fall into place, that will be the victor.”

Begg is happy to forgive Miraval Rose’s failure first-up when she heads into the Group 3 $250,000 MostynCopper James HB Carr Stakes (1400m) after she didn’t cope with the heavy ground.

He said he had to kick off the campaign in the PJ Bell two weeks ago even though there was a suspicion she might struggle in the conditions and hopes for a more favourable track on Saturday.

“We’ve always held an opinion she’s much better on top of the ground, more effective, even going back through her jump outs prior to racing,’’ he said.

“By the time race 10 came around the ground opened up and her wheels just spun. It was a messy race, she never got any rhythm, and she was getting cluttered up.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting