MAGICIAN WINS WITH GAME RUN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 4

MAGICIAN WINS WITH GAME RUN

I Tight Finish To Gold Cup At Rice ar ton The three*year»old Magician brought off a major surprise in the Canterbury ’ Gold Cup on the second day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Riccar- * ton yesterday. He was the eleventh favourite of 13, and won by a head from the each-way • favourite, Blyton, which beat the New Zealand Cup winner, Beauzami, by a neck. Magician paid £5l 7s for a win and £ £lO 4s for a place.

■ This was the first i time the Canterbury \ Gold Cup has been ~ run as a limited han- « dicap. Magician car- • ried 7-3, which was 7 bottom weight in this 7 field.

7; This was his second win Jthis season, and his first beyond a sprint distance, but his -owner-breeder, Mr H. D. scratched him for rfhe New Zealand Derby last because he did not Hhink the colt would stay a and a half. 1 The Canterbury Cup is now •run over a mile and a quarter, land yesterday it developed •into a sharp sprint from near half-mile. • Magician failed on a soft in the Hawke’s Bay Through an oversight he missed a start in the •Wellington Guineas, but was &nrd in the Awatea Handicap •on the second day of the Wellington spring meeting, and •sixth in the weight-for-age Stakes on the third •day.

Magician is a half-brother .by Faux Tirage to Writer, a -good handicap winner. Bag-

man, and the capable but unsound Undergrowth.

He comes to his best when the tracks firm, and could be a force in summer and autumn classics.

Trained at Riccarton by K. J. Thomson, Magician was ridden by the stable apprentice, Max Skelton.

Pulled Hard

“Magician pulled hard early, and I would have had a battle to get him in behind—he would have probably beaten himself if I had tried,’’ said Skelton, youngest member of the famous family of jockeys. He said that Magician was never off the bit until just before the home turn. Sir Barton had a length on him’ there, but he felt confident Magician would close the gap.

Skelton was high in his praise of Magician’s gameness in a hard battle with Blyton. J. F. Grylls said he was hopeful of winning on Blyton at the furlong. He said the favourite then wilted slightly, but made a renewed bid right on the post and would have won in a few more strides. Beauzami finished bril-

liantly from far back for third, but did not give G. F. Hughes an easy ride. “Every time I put the pressure on him, he hung in,” Hughes said.

C. T. Wilson gave up hope of winning on Gay Filou outside the furlong. “He did not pull hard, and had a great run all the way, but could not go on with it,” Wilson said. Disputed Lead Sir Barton was clear for a start, but when J. R. Dowling eased him after three furluongs. Magician pulled his way up to the pacemaker. These two kept together in front from Boundless, which was trailing on the inner of Blyton and Picaroon as they ran to the five. Double and Gay Filou then shared the third line, ahead of Valuate and Gauntlet. Vitamise was right at the back and Beauzami, Great Sensation and

Acis were just ahead of him. Sir Barton began to sprint again half a mile out. He put three parte of a length on Magician in a few strides, but the Riccarton colt was with his Hastings rival as they ran to the straight, Blyton moved forward . three wide to challenge two furlongs out. Picaroon, Gay Filou, Boundless. Gauntlet and Great Sensation (wide out) were all close at hand. Sir Barton lasted with Magician and Blyton almost to the furlong, but from there home it was Magician and Blyton all. the way. In a battling finish, Magician fought on best and Beauzami outfinished Gay Filou for third by a length, a neck behind Blyton. Valuate was a neck back fifth and Vitamise came right from the rear for sixth a length behind him. He shaded Picaroon and Acis. Then came Sir Barton, Double, Boundless, and Great Sensation. Gauntlet was last.