STEWART WORKS ZA MAGIC IN DOOMBEN CLASSIC

By Graham Potter | Saturday, May 9, 2009

Doomben Classic (Group 3 - 3yo’s at set weights) - 1615m. Time 1-36.37. Track: Good 3. Rail: True.
1 Za Magic; 2 Orca; 3 Jimmy Fortunes.

Brad Stewart gave Za Magic the run of the race and the chestnut was good enough to be able to return the compliment by producing a strong, sustained finish which left all of his rivals scrambling in the straight. Orca made up ground rapidly to earn second placing. Jimmy Fortunes finished third.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Maryann Thexton: “We’ve been setting this horse for the Derby and we are on our way. I’m so excited - and it’s my first Group win. All credit to Brad (Stewart). We had the problem of a wide alley. I said to Brad, just try and get cover and try and keep in touch. He said, I’m going to try and go forward. I said, Brad, if you want to go forward, go forward. He felt the horse jumped well enough last time so that we would be able to position him where we wanted over a mile. We’ll press on now. We are thrilled.

“We’ll go to the Rough Habit Plate - and Derby. So, we’ll go to the Rough Habit. I think he’ll find the 2000m alright. If he doesn’t we’ll freshen him up for Guineas. If he finds the 2000m, we’ll go to the Derby. So that’s exciting to have a horse who will have every chance of winning those sort of races. He won his first start ever on a slow track, but I think he’ll run on anything, which is really convenient. We are not restricted by track conditions anyway.

“I bought him as a weanling at the Magic Millions weanling sale. The group of owners said, we want a well bred horse. We can’t afford a well-bred yearling, so find us a well bred weanling. I bought him for $36 000, but we did the figures. We knew he’s owe us $80 000 by the time we got him to the races. So we sort of tried to buy a horse with a pedigree that could have a long term future. It was a bit scary. I’ve never bought a weanling before. It’s hard yakka, but I might have fluked it!”

Jockey Brad Stewart: “He’s improving as he starts to get over a bit further, you know. I didn’t have any set plan, but if I began well I was going to try and work forward. I got there, just behind the leaders and I settled nicely after that. I hadn’t spent much, so I got out and got going just before the turn. It all worked out good. I don’t think he’ll have problem with the Derby distance, which is where he is heading now. He relaxes good, and, like I said, he is strong in the finish.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Za Magic): 13.00 out to 15.00.
Favourite (Orca): 2.40 out to 2.50. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
At about the 1400m Frozone was checked and Jimmy Fortunes unnecessarily crowded when tightened by Academy Magic, which in turn had to shift ground to avoid the heels of Za Magic (Bradley Stewart), which was shifting in when not quite clear. It was further established that when Bold Glance (Kristy Banks) shifted it, too, was not quite clear of Za Magic. Although the crowding to Frozone and Jimmy Fortunes was of some significance, the stewards were not able to attribute responsibility to any one rider and accordingly decided that no action should be taken. However, both Stewart and Banks were told they must exercise far more care when shifting ground in future.

Near the 1400m Papal Joy had to be momentarily steadied from the heels of Za Magic which shifted in. Near the 1200m Walk In The Park, which was over-racing, shifted out when being restrained by its rider. This allowed Orca, which was over-racing to improve to the inside of Walk In The Park. A short distance later Walk In The Park then shifted in despite the efforts of its rider, resulting in Orca having to be checked and shifting in inconveniencing Bauble. Frozone and Bauble were unable to secure clear running at any stage in the home straight.

Blake Shinn (Bauble) explained that near the 1400m he had to steady when crowded for room between Hyde Park and Frozone, both of which shifted some ground. As a consequence of this crowding he got much further out of the race than had been his intention. He went on to say that in the straight he experienced a lot of trouble obtaining clear running.

R. Thompson (Orca) said that the crowding he received in the early stages resulted in him being back a little further than was his intention. He said also that in the middle stages when Walk In The Park was shifting ground he lost further ground and then in the straight Orca had a tendency to lay in.