By MIKE DILLON
Magic Winner is not bred to run 3200m and Graeme Sanders hopes no one tells him before Saturday.
The athletic chestnut became the probable $500,000 Auckland Cup favourite with his dashing Queen Elizabeth win yesterday and no one in his camp is worried about the Cup distance.
"I'm sure he'll get the trip because he relaxes so beautifully," said rider Gary Grylls.
Magic Winner is such a relaxed type he dropped the bit even after Grylls kicked up early yesterday to take advantage of his inside barrier draw.
From three places back on the fence only not getting a run in the home straight was going to stop Magic Winner not taking home the $62,500 winner's cheque.
And not getting a run looked a possibility approaching the home turn.
From the grandstand Magic Winner looked trapped. From Grylls's position, there was no stress.
"He was travelling so well he could have barged and made his own gap," said Grylls.
"All we want is a good barrier draw in the Cup so I can tuck him away again. That would make a huge difference, although he's a horse that can come from the back and go round the field if you have to do that."
Magic Winner's half-length fourth in the Avondale Cup, when just about everything went wrong, proved the truth in that statement.
The biggest smile came from Hong Kong owner PL Wong - he insists on being known as "PL" - who has seen Magic Winner race five times for three wins and a second - magical timing either by the horse and or the Sanders stable.
"He hasn't got the two mile pedigree, but he won't know that," said Graeme Sanders.
If there was a sound Cup trial it came from runner-up Ana Zeel, having her first start in the top grades.
Could the Cup be a case of the luck of the Irish again?
Twelve months ago Patrick Hogan won the Cup with a late-emerging Irish Chance and he was full of the joys of living over the chances of Ana Zeel immediately after yesterday race.
The 4-year-old mare guaranteed herself exemption from the Cup ballot with her placing.
Ana Zeel has had only 15 race starts, so can be expected to improve with each outing. Throw in the Zabeel factor and she has a chance of getting some Cup money.
So does third-placed Desert Rain, who similarly squeaked into the Cup field by finishing in the first three.
Desert Rain is starting to look a 3200m type and could be a strong Cup chance.
Racing: Magic Winner finally casts winning spell
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