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Tagged as a possible Korean contender at a certain stage, McGregor eventually showed that the easier pickings back home more than made up for not getting a ticket.
Trainer Michael Clements had nominated the Australian-bred Magic Albert eight-year-old for the 1 billion won ($1.2 million) Group 1 Keeneland Korea Cup (1800m) in Seoul on September 9.
After McGregor did not receive any invitation from the Korea Racing Authority (stablemate Song To The Moon was also an unselected entry for the Cup), Clements set his sights on Friday night’s $100,000 Kranji Stakes B race over 1600m instead - and to winning effect.
Ridden by champion jockey Vlad Duric for the first time, McGregor (3-1) who was at his 39th Kranji start, box-seated easily after jumping from the inside alley.
In no hurry to push the button, the Australian rider waited for the top of the straight to ease his mount out towards the centre of the Polytrack.
When Duric said ‘go’, McGregor immediately pinged to open up to a commanding break, and even if he wilted a little late, he had enough resources left to keep the fast-closing Robin Hood (Wong Chin Chuen) at bay by 1 ½ lengths. Justice Smart (Glen Boss) warmed up late to run third another length away.
Favourite Dicton (John Powell) had every chance but did not reproduce the same blistering burst at his impressive last-start win a fortnight ago, to run fourth another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 38.78secs for the Polytrack mile.
“He’s been knocking on the door. Tonight, he got the box-seat and everything went well for him,” said Clements.
“He’s the kind of horse who just keeps rolling away. He did just that once he was in the clear in the straight.
“We did consider him for the Korean races, but I’ve not really prepped him up for that. We were waiting for an invitation, and it didn’t come through.
“We picked a nice race for him here and it’s nice to win another race for (owner) Graham Mackie.”
Duric said the inside alley was a key factor in McGregor’s seventh win.
“He finally got a good draw after getting a couple of bad draws recently,” said the Australian hoop.
“He got the perfect run behind the leader. When he came out, he produced a nice turn of foot, but I did have to switch the whip to the left to keep him going.
“It was the right race for him tonight. Hopefully we can find another similar race for him again.”
That seventh win has now taken McGregor’s stakes earnings past the $360,000 mark for his Kiwi owners, Mackie and wife Trish Dunell.
As for Clements, who had a winner earlier on – Iffragal (see other report) - the night got even better later in the proceedings when he notched a treble with even-money favourite Imperium (Glen Boss) wearing Soldado (John Powell) down by a short head right at the last hop in the Lucky Last, the $45,000 Class 4 Non Premier race over 1100m.
The son of I Am Invincible was returning after a four-month spell from a first prep when he was once in the three-year-old calculations. Clements eventually left him at the stables to give him more time to mature and concentrate on his next campaign as a four-year-old instead.
