Magic Millions Guineas target for Pentito

By Glenn Davis

A syndicate of everyday Queenslanders and an unassuming trainer hope to target the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas during the summer if promising three-year-old Pentito is successful at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Deagon-based Jason Edwards admits he’s one of Brisbane’s battlers but it won’t stop him from dreaming of a big Magic Millions payday if Pentito claims the QTIS Three-Year-Old Quality over 1400 metres.

Edwards has been training for only seven years and his best galloper has been Sir Barnabus with 10 wins and 13 placings from 54 starts with prize money earnings of more than $453,000.

Edwards is hoping Pentito can prove buyers don’t need a big bank to purchase at the Magic Millions sales after buying the son of Spill The Beans for a paltry $15,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast March sales.

Pentito will again be ridden by Michael Cahill this Saturday, who was on-board in the galloper's most recent victory. 

“I got him for $15,000 at the Magic Millions March sales,” Edwards said.

“I normally can only afford to buy one yearling because I don’t have a lot of owners.

“When I got him, I thought it would be doom and gloom because it was the start of Covid and I already had bought two others which I rarely do.

“I liked Pentito a lot when I first saw him because he had a lovely confirmation and was a good walker.”

Pentito is raced by a big syndicate, which includes Olympic weight lifter Matthew Lydement, who competed at the recent Tokyo Games.

“A lot of his owners have been supporters of mine for some time but Matthew is a first-time owner,” Edwards said.

Pentito is one of the early fancies at $4.80 in TAB fixed betting behind $4 favourite Rhapsody Rose, who was a $120,000 buy as a yearling.

Pentito has nearly repaid her owners three times her sale price with more than $40,000 in the bank after winning his maiden at Doomben on October 6.

Edwards is confident Pentito can make it back-to-back wins and plans to target the Magic Millions Guineas if successful.

“His win second up was very good and he beat Star Patrol who there’s a wrap on,” he said.

“At his previous run he ran second to Devastating at the Sunshine Coast and Tony Gollan has a good opinion of him.

"If he wins we'll give him a break soon and aim for the Magic Millions Guineas."