Magellan capable of first 1600m win today

Press, 29 June 1982, Page 24

Magellan capable of first 1600m win today

By

J. J. BOYLE

Magellan gets his chance to break through for his first win at 1600 m in the Maronan Handicap, first leg of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s T.A.B. double today.

His first try at that distance would, in normal circumstances. have been in the Dunedin Guineas in the spring of 1980. But that year, because of unusually bad track conditions, the Otago Racing Club was forced to run that classic over the shortened course of 1525 m. Still, Magellan came out of

the race with a lot of credit in running the brilliant Powley to half a head even if he lost second to King Kaka at an inquiry. Two starts back Magellan was a battling fifth in the Canterbury Jockey Club's George Adams Handicap (1600 m under 56 in a handicap scaled lower than the one for today’s race. This

time the powerful Riccarton four year old has 56.5. Black Rule and Soaring High, both from Pat Corboy's Washdyke stable, are expected to supply the main strength of the opposition for Magellan, and other respected runners are Up The Creek and Bilberry.

Kade was scratched yesterday from the Moreton Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double, but Wingatui still has a likely winner in Lord Venture. The Ashburton-trained Sukerbelle. and the consistent Southlander, Devil Crest, are others likely to be in the thick of it at the end of 2220 m.