Local trainer Saimee Jumaat was pleasantly surprised when Magic City figured in the handicaps of Sunday’s $500,000 Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m) on Monday.

Saimee said he threw the Holy Roman Emperor four-year-old’s name into the mix without high hopes, thinking that the 73-point rated galloper might not make the cut.

But the Brazilian-bred happens to be among the 14 nominations to the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, with Saimee saying it was worth taking up the challenge now that they have thrown themselves in headlong.

Magic City (Manoel Nunes) during his winning streak under Laurie Laxon's polish last year, picture Singapore Turf Club

“It’s a long shot. I didn’t know if he would get in, but he did to my surprise,” said the former eight-time Singapore champion jockey who won the Stewards’ Cup four times as a jockey – Ninetyfive Emperor (2002), In Bloom (2003), Better Than Ever (2009) and Ghozi (2010).

“It’s good for the owners (Loti-A Stable). The horse has been consistent without winning and I thought we’d give it a shot.”

Magic City actually won races and picked up placings by the spades when first trained by Laurie Laxon and partnered by fellow Brazilian jockey Manoel Nunes, rounding up his six starts for the former nine-time Singapore champion trainer with a handy record of three wins (1200m to 1400m) and two seconds.

Magic City had one unplaced run for Lee Freedman after Laxon left Singapore, before the owners decided to move him to Saimee in November.

Though unplaced at his first four attempts for the Singaporean handler, Magic City improved noticeably at his last run when a closing third to Nepean in a Class 3 race over 1600m on April 24.

Saimee has since freshened up the rig, giving him a quiet trial on May 31, and now he will take his place up against heavyweights like Countofmontecristo, Elite Invincible and Tannhauser at set weights in a race worth half a million dollars.

It’s a huge leap in class – and a huge leap of faith for Saimee and connections, but the former jockey was in a “nothing ventured, nothing gained” mood. He has enlisted the help of a former arch-rival in a bid to spring a big surprise.

“We got Benny Woodworth, the Cup race jockey on,” said Saimee, in allusion to the Malaysian jockey’s prolific haul of three Group wins last year, none more notable than the Group 1 Singapore Guineas with Forever Young.

“Look, we’re throwing this horse in at the deep end, but you turn four only once, and we wanted to see how he would measure up.”