Cup magic
UP-AND-COMING stayer Magic Chai has won the 2018 Wellington Cup.
The five-year-old gelding produced a strong finishing burst at the end of the 3200-metre, Group III event at Trentham on Saturday to prevail over a gallant Sampson and Alinko Prince.
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike took over the training of the horse from owner Mark Treweek 18 months ago, but was just as happy for Treweek and wife Shelley, the latter of which embraced Pike in jubilant celebrations immediately after the race.
‘‘Shelley can get quite excited,’’
Pike said with a smile after the race.
‘‘It’s fantastic for her and Mark. They’ve had a great run with this horse. He’s some horse.’’
Magic Chai bucked the trend of the other big races on the day by winning at a quote of $8.10 (the two Group Is were won by a 74-1 and 24-1 shots).
It was a patient ride from Michael McNab, although a forced one after the horse missed the kick and settled back last.
A slow pace ensued as Sampson and jockey Trudy Thornton tried to stack the field up, but a midrace move from Sam Spratt on Show Maccool saw the pace quicken.
That was followed by further moves at the 1000m and 800m, with Magic Chai forced to go widest down the straight, but it mattered little as he eventually picked up the frontrunners to win by half a length.
‘‘It was a dawdling run race early on, but when they started taking off a long way from home it played into his hands and you could tell he was right in the race at the 600m’’ Pike said.
‘‘He travelled up on the bridle and it was a matter of waiting for Michael to hit the button.’’
Pike said he had always had a big opinion of the horse, so the win was not unexpected.
‘‘His first couple of runs he was hitting the line nicely. He was quite impressive at a maiden at Avondale, then he backed it up with a win at Ellerslie,’’ Pike said.
‘‘He’s improved that he’s got older and stronger.
‘‘He’s not the easiest horse to ride.
‘‘He falls out of the gates and doesn’t give himself a great headstart there, but he’s a genuine stayer with a nice action and there are plenty of nice races coming up for him.’’
Pike said if the horse came through the run well then they would look to target the Group I Auckland Cup over the same distance on March 10.
‘‘He’s run out a strong two miles here, so we’ll get him home, he’s only lightly raced, but if he holds together and his form holds up then obviously the Auckland Cup is there.’’
Shelley Treweek’s grandfather trained Old Bill to win the 1940 Wellington Cup.
There was a tragic note to the race, with Blathwayt breaking down in the straight the first time.
LISA Latta and Leith Innes’ confidence in Dijon Bleu’s ability to succeed beyond a mile was given a major boost on Saturday.
The trainer-jockey combination paired up with the high-class filly for a hollow victory in the Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
‘‘She gets her head up high and she’s not very big, but she’s a star,’’ Innes said. ‘‘It will be interesting to see if she gets 2000m, but I don’t see why not.’’
Dijon Bleu was tucked in on the rail behind the leaders and once a gap opened up along the fence 250m from home the daughter of Burgundy was through in a flash.
‘‘I had a good chat to Lisa before the race and she said to hold her up,’’ Innes said. ‘‘I could have got out and rolling 600m from home, but I had no choice and then she exploded when she was clear.’’
Dijon Bleu accelerated sharply to record a commanding winning performance with Blanco Belle a game runner-up and Werther’s sister Milseain, in just her second start, an encouraging third.