EF JAN 23 - PLAIN MAGIC DOES IT AGAIN

By Graham Potter | Sunday, January 24, 2010

Eagle Farm, January 23, 2010.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Fillies & Mares Quality Handicap (Listed) - 1200m. Time: 1-08.85.
1 Plain Magic; 2 Kryptelon; 3 Alverta.

The Kelly Schweida trained Plain Magic continues to go from strength to strength.

The four-year-old mare scored a tough as teak victory in the feature race at Eagle Farm on Saturday to complete a hat-trick of wins following her success in a Class 6 event over 1200m at Doomben in December and her triumph in the Magic Millions Fillies And Mares Quality event at the Gold Coast two weeks prior to this latest victory.

Jockey Jim Byrne placed Plain Magic in second place from the jump. The mare settled beautifully on the heels of the favourite Chakvetadze, who was bidding for her eighth straight win and defending an unbeaten record. Chakvetadze was not having a comfortable run. She was over-racing, seemingly intent on pulling jockey Larry Cassidy’s arms out of their sockets. Turning for home Byrne chose to apply early pressure on the leader and that tactic quickly paid dividends as Chakvetadze blinked. She was not in a mood for a fight on the day, and she gave way to Plain Magic with 250m left to run.

But that was not the end of the story.

Kryptelon, who had finished second three lengths behind Plain Magic at the Gold Coast was rattling home. Lilleelavee was making ground up quickly on the inside and Averta was picking up under her heavy weight and was closing on the outside. These runners placed Plain Magic under immense pressure in the final few strides, but the daughter of Magic Albert kept putting her head out and she got home to score by a short-half-head as only half-a-length covered the first four runners across the line.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelly Schweida: “Her last three runs have been good. She just keeps stepping up to the mark. It was a good race today and they’ve run 1-08.85, so it was a really good win.

“I thought she would run well. It’s hard to think you are going to come out and win, especially when there are two good fillies in it ... Alverta and Chakvetadze. We thought Chakvetadze would box seat on us. I left it up to Jimmy (Byrne). We were always going to be in the first two. We thought that we might be forced to lead, which didn’t worry us, but we wanted to be close to Chakvetadze.

“That was her fourth run back. Probably one more run will see her out then we’ll give her a little freshener.

“Look, there is a $100000 race ... a similar race at Doomben in a fortnight’s time. She’ll run then. She’ll have a little break and then go to something like the Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast.

“We’ll just try to keep her to fillies races and, if she lifts a little bit more, probably the Winter Stakes . She is Black Type placed over 1400m here, so she just has to find a little bit extra, but not a lot.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “Oh look, I was pretty open-minded about what position I would take up. It was always going to be a little bit difficult.

“We did discuss Chakvetadze going out and leading. We actually thought Lilleelavee would do it and you would probably get a little slower tempo, but when Chakvetadze led ... you tend to think, well you’ve got a horse in front of you that’s never been beaten before, you know, so what’s the chink in the armour. So I pressed a little bit earlier than I probably should have and actually put a little bit of pressure on Chakvetadze pretty much from the top of the straight to ensure that the horse (Chakvetadze) was going to fold.

“I went earlier than I would have liked. I would have liked to have sat on her until the 300 ... or inside the 300, but as soon as we straightened I basically just put the favourite (Chakvetadze) right under pressure. Obviously we had a light weight and as soon as did the favourite started to fold ... thankfully.

“You know, we only had a light weight. I did what I did because I was looking for that chink in Chakvetadze’s armour and we beat off that one, but it still got very close at the end (a short half-head). I thought I’d won, but I think Joe Bowditch (on Kryptelon) thought that he’d won too.

“You replay it in your head. If she had got beat today it would have been because I pushed the button too early.

“We used to ride her fifth, sixth, seventh sort of thing ... let her find her feet, because she can be quite relaxed out of the machines if you want her. But, I think she drew awkward one day and we went forward. Actually I think she’d done it a few times previously before I jumped on her and the horse has done well doing it that way.”

To Kelly’s credit (trainer Kelly Schweida) he’s always got this horse spot ... and again today. It’s a credit to him and his staff.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Plain Magic): 4.20 out to 4.80 in to 4.40.
Favourite (Chakvetadze); 2.10 in to 1.95 in to 2.15. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Leaving the 400m, Lilleelavee (K. Banks) was disappointed for a run between Kryptelon (J. Bowditch) and Alverta (S. Scriven) where there was not fully sufficient room and was then obliged to shift to the inside in order to secure clear running.

Rider L. Cassidy and trainer M. Nolan were afforded the opportunity to explain the seemingly poor performance of Chakvetadze. L. Cassidy stated that from the inside barrier today he had intentions to lead and after beginning well he rode the mare aggressively in order to secure that position. He explained that when the mare did reach the lead she may have raced a little keenly, however did not feel this had any significant bearing on the horse's overall performance today.

Trainer M. Nolan could offer no explanation for the mare's disappointing performance, other than to point out that Chakvetadze had not raced for over a month.

A post race veterinary examination of Chakvetadze revealed the mare to be lame in the near foreleg. Mr Nolan was advised that he would be required provide a veterinary clearance for Chakvetadze prior to its next race start.