SHE'S MAGIC, running at odds of 28-1 and the odds-on favourite BRUCEONTHELOOSE scored contrasting victories in the two trial races over 1400 metres for the April 4 Guineas classics at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Ridden by lightweight jockey Carlton Malcolm for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, SHE'S MAGIC closed on the rails to catch and beat the howling 1-9 favourite MISS RUTH under Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas by a length in the $1 million Thornbird Stakes for native bred three-year-old fillies.
Two races later, BRUCE-ONTHELOOSE with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths riding for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, romped home by 6 1/4 lengths as the 1-2 favourite in the Prince Consort Stakes for colts and geldings, establishing himself as a firm favourite for the 2000 Guineas in the process.
It was widely believed that the Percy Hussey-trained MISS RUTH would have had an easy passage in the Thornbird Stakes, despite having her first outing since winning the Supreme Ventures Two-Year-Old Stakes last Boxing Day to be voted the champion two-year-old of last year.
But although breaking on top from the outside of the 11-horse field, MISS RUTH was unable to have things her own way on the lead, as the fleet-footed lightweight C'EST MOI (16-1) under Florida-based Jamaican jockey Wesley Henry took her on in a speed duel from early. In the end, both played into the hands of the fast-finishing SHE'S MAGIC (outpaced), who closed strongly on the rails to catch the battling leaders, MISS RUTH and C'EST MOI, in the last 100 metres.
The winner, a grey filly by He'stherealthing out of Magic Butterfly, is owned by Robert E. Byers and bred by the Orange Valley Estates Limited. DaCosta, who was pleasantly surprised, had this to say:
"She had run decently against the colts last time out, the track was slow. so we decided to sit off what we expected to be a fast early pace and it came right back", he said.
bred along sprinting lines
"She's bred along sprinting lines, so it's left to be seen if she'll get a mile", he added.
BRUCEONTHELOOSE, recent fast-time winner of the Ash Wednesday Trophy, disputed the early lead with TOP COMMANDER (9-1), before going about his business leaving the half mile, turning it into a procession. The Hussey-trained NAVAL COMMANDER nosed out the ever-present MY SPACE (23-1) for second in a field of 12.
The winner's highly thought stable-companion MAN A YARD was declared a late non-starter, having injured himself after going to the Salix Centre earlier in the day. On returning to the stable after being administered Lasix for the race, MAN A YARD reportedly got excited, reared up in his barn and hit his head.
A grey colt by Wheelaway out of Road To Justice, BRUCEON-THELOOSE is owned by Tres Amigos and bred by HAM Stables Limited.
Feanny had a second winner on the card when 3-1 shot SUPER DAVE, under title-chasing jockey Paul Francis, won the open allowance straight five race in a driving finish from 3-4 favourite MINISTEROFJUSTICE.