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By Tony Megahey

For Mudgee’s Mark Jones, training something with seven successive second placings and two more minors suggests he has either the patience of a saint, or frustration levels off the Richter scale with Kora Magic into the TAB Highway at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

However, Mark, a former country train driver, breaker and roustabout, has it all in perspective after gaining an unlikely start as third emergency at $17 on TAB into the $120,000 Class 2, 1100m flyer.

Kora Magic (Jake Pracey-Holmes) in winning form at Wellington. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Jones managed late to secure Rachel King on 54kg after her original mount Our Last Cash was scratched.

"Sure, you get frustrated and disappointed getting beat in so many photos, but you get over it real quick when $5000 prizemoney keeps jumping in,” Mark quipped.

“I bought her for the right price as a three-race maiden from the Brideoake stable in Victoria and she’s won fifty grand!

“It’d be a lot different if she was finishing down the track with the slow ones.

"But she’s been in the finish nine in a row since she won a Wellington maiden in January and is rarely led. That says this mare is just 100% trier.

“No star but races up to her capabilities every single time. She’ll do that again on Saturday, on-pace and see what happens.

“You’d like to have a yard full of them, prizemoney every time they go around.”

There has been four early scratching from wide barriers and the four-year-old Kuroshio mare has a comfortable alley six to use her turn of hoof.

“Still a class 2 country, so not overly strong. Soft draw she’ll lead or be right on-pace like always. Her turn will come again.

“Had races won but found one better so many times. You’ve got to give her credit for that level of consistency.”  No argument there with Kora Magic’s 13 starts for a win and 10 placings accumulating $52,000 prizemoney.

Jones has been a long-time trainer, originally from Dubbo, he maintains a small team at Mudgee and success is regular enough. He’s won two recent races with the Inglis protégé Art Angel, a future Highway contender.

Meanwhile, the multiple-winning Riverina contingent, Mitch Beer’s Greek Tycoon and Donna’ Scott’s Our Last Cash have been scratched because of barrier 22 and 21.

While Gundagai’s unbeaten flyer Supido Beauty was nominated but kept for an upcoming Royal Randwick episode after missing vital work because of the regional flooding.

Mitch and Donna had planned to travel with winning form and primed triallists, but the barriers deflated their hopes: “We’ll wait another day, long way to come with nothing in your favour,” Donna offered.

Meanwhile, the key booking and influence of James McDonald ensures that Sussu, trained by Scone’s Highway original Stephen Jones, is the $5 second favourite behind Tim Donnelly’s Miss Kirribilli ($4.60) in a wide betting episode.

Rosehill Gardens is rated a Good 4 in fine weather.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Rosehill Gardens here