Vega Works Magic In The Goodwood

Vega Magic was the subject of late support, dropping from a $9 morning line to $4.50 at the off, and the gelding obliged to earn his first win at the highest level. Vega Magic shadowed stablemate Faatinah from the break, moving up in tandem with that rival down the backstretch to vie for the lead in a lineup of three across the track. Faatinah had his head in front as they straightened for home but an ominous wall of horses loomed in behind, with Vega Magic the most threatening still on his shoulder. Faatinah packed it in at the 200 metre mark and while it was initially Missrock who took over on the outside, Vega Magic battled back gamely to win by 3/4 of a length.

Vega Magic spent his 3-year-old season plying away at lower levels in Western Australia, and he certainly earned his keep, winning seven of eight starts and finishing second on another occasion. He stepped up to black-type company for the first time last spring and won the G3 Colonel Reeves S. at Ascot in Western Australia second up. Seventh, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, on his Group 1 debut in November's Winterbottom S., Vega Magic bounced back to take the G3 Scahill S. on Dec. 16 and was making his first start since on Saturday. Co-trainer David Hayes is now eyeing the inaugural A$10-million The Everest S. at Randwick in October.

“He could be an ideal horse for The Everest,” Hayes told Racenet.com.au. “Someone might have a ticket they might like to share.”

Pedigree Notes…

With his first Group 1 win, Vega Magic becomes the most accomplished horse under his first three dams. His third dam is the stakes-placed Starlight Express (Aus) (Century {Aus}), a full-sister to G1 Golden Slipper winner Century Miss (Aus). Vega Magic is the third foal out of his dam, who was mated exclusively with Lope de Vega the next three years. Those matings resulted in the once-raced Vega Dior (Aus), a 2014 filly who died and a yearling colt. Vega Magic becomes the first Australian-bred Group 1 winner for former shuttler Lope De Vega, who is also responsible in Australia for G2 Reisling S. winner French Fern (Aus) and Group 3 winner Santa Ana Lane (Aus), who finished fifth in the Goodwood.

Saturday, Morphettville, Australia
GOODWOOD S.-G1, A$1,001,150, SAJC, 5-20, 3yo/up, Open Set Weight, 1200mT, 1:09.34, Good.
1-&VEGA MAGIC, 56.5, g, 4, by Lope de Vega (IRE)
1st Dam: Admirable, by Magic Albert
2nd Dam: Starglow Express, by Danewin
3rd Dam: Starlight Express, by Century
O-H W Daly, G E Daly; B-Mr HW Daly WA; T-D & B Hayes & T
Dabernig; J-Craig Williams; A$641,150. Lifetime Record:
15-10-2-1, A$1,352,050. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Missrock, 52.0, f, 3, Fastnet Rock–Miss Judgement, by
Strategic. (A$500,000 Ylg 2015 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale)
O-R H Montague, Mrs S M Delaney, T M Montague, S R
Montague, M A Lester, Mrs R K Lowe, P W Lowe, M Sambucco,
Mrs J E Butler, R N Butler, P J Butler, A Melideo, Mrs A
Athanasakos, P A; B-Cressfield NSW; T-R E Laing; J-D Yendall;
A$170,000.
3–Casino Wizard, 55.5, g, 6, Any Given Saturday (USA)–Casino
Nights, by Final Card. O-Mrs K M Creek, M A Kranz, A R Kranz,
W R Glynn, M J Donovan, M A Mullan, Mrs E R Creek, Mrs R M
Thomas, One Vision Synd, Running With The Wizard Pty Ltd
Synd; B-Mr LR Colbert SA; T-L A Creek; J-J Holder; A$80,000.
Margins: 0.8 len, 1.2 len, 1.7 len. Odds: 3.80, 30.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Secret Agenda, Santa Ana Lane, Hey Doc, Black Heart Bart, Lope de Capio, Kaepernick, Bassett (NZ), Sweet Sherry, First Among Equals, Illustrious Lad, Rageese, Faatinah, Malaguerra, Karacatis, Lucky Liberty, Zebulon (NZ), Riziz.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.