Magico wins Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Hcp
Magico has always looked to be a sprinter of very real promise and the three-year-old recorded his biggest success to date when he won the Tommy Hotspur Handicap over the straight 1000m course at Turffontein last Tuesday night. In the process he credited his trainer Paul Peter with his first success considerably less than a year after he took out his licence, and also gave sire Dupont his first stakes winner, writes Matthew Lips.
Magico may have found Gr 1 company and the long trip to Cape Town all a bit much when he could only finish seventh behind What A Winter in the Cape Flying Championship the previous month, but he had broken the Vaal turf track’s 1000m course record when last seen in Gauteng and this drop to Gr 3 level was more than enough to make him hugely competitive again. He went off as the 3/1 joint second favourite in a field reduced to 11 by five late withdrawals, with impressive last-start winner Two Tone the narrow 28/10 market leader. Moroccan was equal second favourite after winning his seasonal debut over the same course-and-distance in January.
Magico lost a length coming out of the gates and was some way off the early action as Battlestar Express and Mr Mickey Mouse cut out the running just ahead of Mr Black Tom and Furious Dancer. Two Tone was a few lengths back as Moroccan looked completely beaten for early toe. Magico began to make progress from halfway, where Mr Mickey Mouse had gone for home as Battlestar Express weakened. Mr Black Tom was still very much in the race coming inside the last 300m, but Magico had started to make significant headway now and picked it up passing the furlong marker, running on very well under Marthinus Mienie to draw away and win by two lengths.
Mr Black Tom chased Magico all the way to the line and came out easily second beat as Mr Mickey Mouse ran out of steam late and finished 1.5 lengths further away in third. Two Tone stayed on for fourth, a neck behind Mr Mickey Mouse, but never really looked like winning. Moroccan found 1000m on quick ground under 60 kgs too lively and was always chasing in vain before finishing fifth. The ground had been very soft when he won in January, in direct contrast to the conditions he encountered here, and 1200m is probably his preferred distance anyway.
“He is a laid back horse,” remarked the winning jockey afterwards, “but he can turn it on.” Inevitably, talk turned to the forthcoming Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over the Tommy Hotspur course-and-distance, a race which Magico seems sure to contest in the absence of any setbacks after an offer to purchase the colt for overseas interests fell through earlier this year. The return to racing on WFA terms at Gr 1 level will be a considerably more daunting test for Magico, all the more so should What A Winter take the plunge and head north for a first Gauteng appearance. Magico’s trainer noted after Tuesday’s race that his colt had not had the perfect preparation for the Cape Flying Championship, which came during the on-off-on-off negotiations to sell Magico and there is every reason to believe he can make his presence strongly felt in the Computaform. Good going on the day and a no-show from What A Winter would both be big pluses.
Magico is from the second crop of Zafonic horse Dupont, who won both the Italian and German 2000 Guineas in 2002, and is the stallion’s best performer to date. He is the second foal and second winner of unraced Al Mufti mare Magical Miss and descends from the Birch Bros’ excellent City Hall family, which has been producing high class performers for more than four decades. Bred at Maine Chance Farms, Magico was a R65 000 purchase from the 2009 Equimark Vintage Yearling Sale and has won five times (all over 1000m) from eight starts, for stakes of R360 000.
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Tommy Hotspur Hcp (SAf-G3) (2/15)
Turffontein, South Africa, February 15, R200.000, 1000m, turf, good, 55.59 (CR 54.96).
MAGICO (SAF), 58.0, b c 3, Dupont (GB) – Magical Miss (SAF) by Al Mufti. Owner J Peter and G T Peter; breeder Maine Chance Farms (SAf); trainer P A Peter; jockey M Mienie (R125.000)
Mr Black Tom (SAF), 53.5, b g 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Gretna Green (SAF) by Green Lightning (IRE)
Mr Mickey Mouse (SAF), 55.0, ch g 5, Muhtafal – Norse Woman (SAF) by Northern Guest
Margins: 2, 1½, nk
Also ran: Two Tone (SAF) 59.0, Moroccan (ZIM) 60.0, Furious Dancer (SAF) 55.0, Kayhaladin (SAF) 53.5, Opening Night (SAF) 55.5, Mary Lou (SAF) 58.0, Tirade (SAF) 54.5, Battlestar Express (SAF) 58.0
