Blenheim-bound Magellan records smart sprint

Press, 2 May 1984, Page 33

Blenheim-bound Magellan records smart sprint

By

J. J. BOYLE

Magellan comes back to racing after a long absence in the Marlborough Racing Club’s Double Brown Handicap on Saturday. The 1982 Winter Cup winner captured much of the attention in the limited training at Riccarton yesterday when he sprinted with all his old verve and dash. Before rain that accompanied a southerly change had a chance to affect the footing on the plough Magellan sped over 600 m in 36.2 s in the hands of his race rider, Chris Johnson. Magellan, now a six-year-old, has been away from racing since last July, and Helen Preston’s bid to get him back to the high level of performance that made him one of Riccarton’s most exciting performers in earlier seasons will add

much Canterbury interest to the Marlborough meeting. The Invercargill-trained Cadmium, the only sprinter above Magellan in the weights in the second leg of the Marlborough T.A.B. double on Saturday, was restricted to three-quarter pace on the plough at Riccarton yesterday. After a win, two seconds, and a fourth in four recent starts in Canterbury, Cadmium will be a popular fancy as the mount of Jim Collett on Saturday. Collett will ride the laststart winner, Kintail Lad, in the first leg, the Radio Marlborough Classic. Rebel Star, a form runner for the Double Brown Handicap at the Marlborough meeting, yesterday sprinted 800 m on the Riccarton No. 1 grass in 50.95, and his stablemate, Bou Tic, followed over the same

ground in 50.45. Paul Richards has been engaged for Mrs Jan HalesWells’s pair on Saturday.

Zaneglenn, which goes to Wingatui for the Otago Hunt Club’s Barton Memorial on Friday, ran 800 m on the No. 1 grass in 49.85.

A winner for the Beri stable two starts back, Zaneglenn will be ridden by Les Didham on Friday. In the Glen, a creditable fifth in the Lion Brown Handicap at Riccarton last Saturday, will have another chance over 1600 m in the Tally-Ho Handicap at the Otago Hunt meeting. Her race rider will be Grant Davison, who has had a rewarding autumn and a noteworthy record especially on “first leg” winners. Davison will also ride at the Marlborough meeting.