Magician and Spicey Crunch win features

The well-bred Magician (Captaintreacherous) put in a gutsy effort to win the $30,000 SBSR Sires’ Stakes Southern Solstice at the Invercargill Harness Racing Club meeting today.

Driver Carter Dalgety took the three year old to the front from barrier eight and although the trailing horse Secret Agent Man got past him, he kicked back to win by a nose.

MAGICIAN REPLAY

“Generally when a horse is headed they don’t kick back. So it wasn’t a bad effort. When you make a midrace move you do gas it a bit. It was a bit better effort than I thought he’d do,” trainer Cran Dalgety who trains the gelding with his wife Chrissie, said.

Prior to racing today Magician was pre-warmed.

“He just breaths so much better because he’s a heavy winded horse. He’s a laid back horse, a bad trainer and he thinks he’s at a holiday camp.”

It was another super drive by Carter who’s locked in battle with Sam Thornley and Wilson House for the NZ Juniors Drivers Premiership.

“It’s great that three race juniors are having a ding dong go. It’s great for the industry that it’s going to come down to the wire”.

Meanwhile the Steve and Amanda Telfer trained Spicey Crunch (Captain Crunch) broke a track and Southland record when she beat hot favourite Captains Mistress in the $25,000 Forklift NZ Limited Two Year Old Fillies Mobile Pace.

“I actually thought she was more of a leader but she’s shown in her last two starts that she can run on really good. I knew the 2200 metres would suit her and Tim (Tim Williams) drove her perfectly. Where Captains Mistress was, (parked) it made it easy for us,” Amanda said.

SPICEY CRUNCH REPLAY

The winning margin was a neck with Captains Mistress finishing second.

Spicey Crunch’s winning time of 2-41.0 was a new track and Southland record. The previous record of 2-41.5 was set by Ariella.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink