Talented three-year-old Magicool has delivered Mark Kavanagh a 21st victory at the highest level at Doomben this afternoon; displaying a keen turn of foot to take out the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2200m).
Magicool posted a maiden win at the highest level in this afternoon’s Group 1 Queensland Derby. Photo: Daniel Costello
Jumping from the gates only fairly, jockey James Winks was forced to settle the son of Fastnet Rock off pace of early leaders Upham, High Midnight and Thermogenic, who all but sprinted past the post the first time.
Finding a good position in the field over the back straight and falling into a good rhythm, the three-year-old continued to slowly work his way forward approaching to final turn, but was forced to push wide to find a passage to the front.
Arriving on the final straight wide and with plenty to do, Magicool immediately responded when asked for an extra effort by Winks and impressively strode up alongside leader Sadler’s Lake; pulling clear and hitting the line ahead of Werther and Jumbo Prince.
Winks delivered a seasoned ride on Magicool for success in the 2015 Queensland Derby and was thrilled with the feel offered up by the three-year-old over the race’s late stages.
“They flew the first turn and I just wasn’t going to be able to get there,” Winks said after dismounting.
“Normally he’s a pretty solid on-piece kind of horse but they just went hard.
“I was three wide with cover and he was good for me but I sort of lost my cover from the 1000 to the half-mile but for some reason the runs kept going.
“I knew when I straightened up and he got into that grove with his big stride, he’s a lovely actioned horse, he just had a solid gallop to the line so full credit to the horse.
“Today was his day and he’s rock-hard fit.
“We had the right horse and just needed luck from the barrier. Once they kept taking off he just sucked-up beautifully and he was there when I wanted.”
Stable representative Levi Kavanagh was on hand for the 2015 Queensland Derby and revealed Magicool will now return to the paddock ahead of a Spring Carnival campaign geared towards Group 1 features.
“I thought we’d be a little bit closer but came out and just outsprinted in the end,” Kavanagh said.
“He’s going to go for a rest now. He’s going to stay up here in the sun and then we’ll look towards the spring.”
In taking out the 2015 Queensland Derby, Magicool has now one five of his 14 competitive starts; finishing in the first three on one other occasion.
