A rejuvenated Vega Magic is set to make his 2019 Spring Carnival debut in the Group 3 $160,000 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday and hopefully grab the attention of the remaining The Everest slot holders.
Vega Magic, above, is among the nominations for The Heath 1100 Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Vega Magic is one of fifteen sprinters nominated for The Heath 1100 Stakes which is one of the support races on the nine event race card highlighted by the running of the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m).
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic was the winner of the 2017 Memsie Stakes and was fourth to Humidor last year but co-trainer Ben Hayes said that the seven year old sprinter wasn’t forward enough to run in the weight for age feature this year.
The Heath 1100m Stakes is run under set weights plus penalties and Hayes said that those conditions will see Vega Magic well treated with only 57kg.
“He’s going to be in well at the weights because he carries 57(kg) as he doesn’t get a penalty,” Ben Hayes told Racenet.
“He’s in a race where he is well weighted.
“He’s had big weights his whole life so he won’t know himself with 57(kg).”
Hayes trains in partnership with his father David and cousin Tom Dabernig and said that Vega Magic looked to be back to his best with a smart recent trial down the Flemington straight with Damien Oliver in the saddle.
“The way he trialled down the straight, it looked like the old Vega Magic,” Hayes said.
“He travelled well and he gave a good kick and Ollie was pretty happy.
“I hope he (Oliver) is right about him.”
Vega Magic has raced in the first two runnings of the $14m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick and Hayes is hoping that the big chestnut can find a way to gain a slot in this year’s edition on October 19 if he can win the Group 2 $400,000 Keno Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 12.
The winner of the Schillaci Stakes will be offered the Everest slot owned by the Melbourne Racing Club.
“If he wins The Heath, we’ll probably just freshen him and run him in the Schillaci and hope that’s enough for him to head to an Everest again,” Hayes said.
“We’ll just pray we don’t get a wet track.”
Nominations for the 2019 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11221110×1 | ALL TOO ROYAL | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 92 |
| 2 | 6x1101x19x | BALL OF MUSCLE | G | 9 | Joseph Pride | 112 |
| 3 | 8×63114164 | BANDIPUR | G | 5 | Richard Laming | 100 |
| 4 | 22x14025x2 | BONS AWAY | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 101 |
| 5 | 21143x657x | CRYSTAL DREAMER | G | 7 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | 100 |
| 6 | x12131740x | EVERYDAY LADY | M | 5 | Will Clarken | 92 |
| 7 | 164x29044x | GLENALL | G | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 96 |
| 8 | 23x113011x | GYTRASH | G | 4 | Gordon Richards | 89 |
| 9 | 1123x4680x | INN KEEPER | G | 6 | Symon Wilde | 93 |
| 10 | x27x12114x | MAKAHU BOY | G | 9 | Enver Jusufovic | 82 |
| 11 | 730x03820x | MALAGUERRA | G | 8 | Lindsey Smith | 109 |
| 12 | 5433x1111x | PARSIFAL (NZ) | G | 5 | Will Clarken | 83 |
| 13 | 8863x226x5 | SPIRIT OF VALOR (USA) | H | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 106 |
| 14 | 821231510x | STREETS OF AVALON | G | 5 | Shane Nichols | 104 |
| 15 | 7x8x140x0x | VEGA MAGIC | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 113 |
