Show Za Magic
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Za Magic strides out to the post in a dominant display, returning to some form in the XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas on Caloundra Cup Day (Noel Pascoe photo).
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An eleventh hour effort to find a jockey and a decision on the morning of the race not to scratch Za Magic from the Listed XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas 1600m has proved extremely worthwhile for trainer Maryann Thexton and connections.
Thexton seemed unable to explain the form reversal of Za Magic (G3 Magic Albert-Zab Watch NZ) after two poor performances on heavy tracks at Doomben and Eagle Farm leading into this race.
However the three-year-old looked right at home on the wet Corbould
Park course winning in a very dominant performance leading from start to finish.
Glen Colless on board Za Magic took control of the race at the turn and just kept punching away down the straight with next to no challenge from runners behind.
“I was really worried. In the Rough Habit at Doomben he only just got through it and the (Group 1 Queensland Derby) at Eagle Farm stopped him like a freight train,” said Thexton.
“I didn’t know what he was going to do today. I nearly tipped him out; I was up here at seven o’clock this morning walking the track.
“I thought oh well we’re here, we’ll run, so I’m wrapped.”
Thexton and connections were visibly overjoyed, enthusiastically celebrating the dominant win more than 200m from the winning post in front of the big Caloundra Cup Day crowd.
“He’s just got great owners, they never miss a race, win, lose or draw they have a great time. He’s given us a tremendous campaign and we put a lot of planning into this actual race,” Thexton said.
“There was a lot of thought as to whether to go to the paddock or run in (the Guineas). They let me call the shots all the way and the horse just kept improving.”
Za Magic returned to race in the shorter 1600m distance and proved to be in another class after two poor performances at 2000 metres or more previously.
The 19 horse field had no answer for the winner’s turn of speed in the straight with Walk in the Park (Larry Cassidy) finishing four and a half lengths back in second and Syndrome (Craig Grylls) claimed third a further one and a quarter lengths back.
Thexton would not commit to heading interstate with Za Magic at this stage, sighting the youth of the horse as the reason. She feels experience would be of more value to him right now and is confident of further success.
“We’ll let him come back to Brisbane racing and if he brings that form back he should win a couple and then we’ll look elsewhere. But he’s only a three-year-old gelding. “He’s got seasons and seasons of racing ahead of him, so we’ll let him tell us,” she said.
“The horse doesn’t travel very well. He gets off the truck and he’s a lather of sweat, so we thought this would be good seasoning for him anyway. If we want to go south at some stage we need to know how he’s going to handle it.”
Maybe the lateness of the race in a long day of 12 races would explain the enthusiasm of connections, however there seemed to be an added air of confidence about celebrations.
Could they smell a champion in their grasp? That would spell great news for racing in Queensland.
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Ross Dowd – June 29
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