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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPSNovember 1, 2013Mikael MagnussonARCADIA, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us a little bit about the decision to come and target this race and how you ended up at the Breeders' Cup today? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Well, Trussell, who sits there is co‑owner with me, and we had targeted this horse on this race for a long time because he needs very fast ground; and in England, the ground was gone, so we had nowhere to go with it. And then the Australians, Mr.Fudge came on and asked us to prepare the horse for this race when the deal was done. So I am thrilled for them, but this was a moment. I think Jo Hughes and myself and Paul Blockley who is our partner has learned a lot from this experience now how to prepare a horse for a race like this. So we'll come with another one. THE MODERATOR: Maybe you can tell us more about the experience of preparing a horse for this race, especially without prior dirt experience in the afternoon? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Yeah, the dirt experience I can't do so much about because I spoke with Patrick many times, and my view was they either handle it or they don't. He has, in his pedigree, he's an easy goer on the second dam, which is purely dirt, whereas his dam is in the Ridge which is a grass horse. But this was his fourth win this year. He's a very progressive horse, so we sold him too cheap, basically. Q. This question relates to training techniques for London Bridge. You started at Kempton and Wolverhampton, to all better tracks, then he went for eight races on grass tracks. You'll notice this is his ninth start on nine different racetracks, and that is remarkable. My question to you is: How do you train him to be adapt on a dirt track at Santa Anita? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Well, dirt and all‑weather tracks has no resemblance. It's a total‑‑ the all‑weather tracks are more for grass horses. So we had‑‑ not really, but we have put him behind horses on the all-weather gallop. He goes on a very stiff one at home to get the kickback and all of this. So, as I say, we have done our utmost to bring the horse here and then has been here since last Saturday and we have put him behind horses. And yesterday when the track was very, very loose, he moved quite disappointingly, but I was quite upbeat when I saw the fast surface today. I thought he could make it, you know? THE MODERATOR: Mikael, can you take us through the race from your perspective? It looked like coming around the final turn, some of the leaders were already working pretty hard up front, and just how you saw it unfold? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Yeah, when he came through the backstretch the second time, I thought he would have a chance. Because I know the horse and I saw how hard Mike had to work to get his very lazy horse. We had him in the cheek pieces for the first time. Mike won't believe that, but it has helped him. He's not ungenuine; he's just very unfocused. So when they turned him for home, I thought he would win it because the other horses looked pretty knackered at that time, you know? THE MODERATOR: So there was that equipment change with the cheek pieces. Can you explain what that is, exactly? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Well, it's more I had an ex‑champion jockey riding him at the all‑weather track, Richard Quinn. And he asked for oxygen after the work. We worked him. He suggested to me to put cheek pieces on him to help‑‑ more to help the rider. He works very well, but the rider needed a little bit of help. THE MODERATOR: What did you tell Mike this week? I know he took the horses to the gate a couple days ago, and you got the all‑time leading Breeders' Cup jockey. How much did Mike get to know the horse before the race? MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: I met him here in the morning, so I've spoken to him. He has seen all the races in England; and then Patrick has helped me to speak to him. I've spoken to him, and we made a plan. He just said that it will be over‑paced, and this horse has never run a really decent race from off the pace. So Mike Smith was the whole difference today, I must say. It was Mr.Fudge and David Ingordo who was connected with Zenyatta that broke the ride. I said, in my view, I wanted the horse, and everyone wanted Mike. Thank you very much. I'm sure that Paul Blockley is as proud as I am at home now. They couldn't come this time, but it will mean the world to them. THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to the Hughes as well. MIKAEL MAGNUSSON: Yeah, I will. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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