Magnitude wins Levin Cup

Press, 27 November 1986, Page 39

Magnitude wins Levin Cup

The consistent Magnitude came with a withering late burst to down a class field in the weight-for-age Mitchpine Levin Cup Stakes (1600 m at Levin yesterday. The Amalgam gelding, owned by Jim Bull and trained by his sister Margaret, at Awapuni, was kept handy in fourth place by regular rider Noel Harris but was trapped behind squabbling leaders until the 100 metre mark. He was then brought round the front runners, finding a clear passage inside the last 50 metres, and under a hard ride, he won half a length clear of Pinson.

Third home, a nose back, was the game Sound Reason filly, Pell Mell, which put up a top effort from a wide barrier draw.

There was a nose back to the gallant pacemaker, Coronal, in fourth with little separating the next four.

Magnitude was having only his second start this season, owner Jim Bull explaining it would have been a useless excercise trying to get him fit on the wet spring tracks. “He showed us quite definitely last summer that he doesn’t like bad ground at all so there was no point really having him up until about now especially since it’s been such a wet spring.

“He’s been brought along quietly with the big summer miles in mind.”

Magnitude, which won the rich Epsom Handicap (1600 m in Sydney last spring, could have his next start in the weight for age L.P.A. Potter Memorial Stakes (1600 m at Te Aroha in 10 days. “He could start there but it’s uncertain at this stage.” Magnitude was scoring his first win at weight-for-age yesterday though his consistent form has seen him carry top of the scale weights for most of his senior career.

He returned from Sydney last year and was set an ambitious campaign. Bad luck and unfavour-

able ground robbed him in many of the features for which he was set.

He scored only one win, in a class one mile at Awapuni, and collected seconds behind Abit Leica and Waverley Star in other feature miles on his home track.

The in-form Pinson was gallant in defeat, while Pell Mell showed great promise with a late bid for third. Trainer Malcolm Smith, said Pell Mell was extremely game, failing to place in only four of her 18 starts.

“It was her first try at weight-for-age in this sort of class,” Smith said. “I hope to line her up in the Jarden Mile at Trentham next year.”