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Magic it surely is for keen form students into a TAB Highway support at Saturday’s Stand-alone Hawkesbury Gold Cup, Guineas and Gold Rush meeting.
Educated opinions of unbeaten Mogo Magic, indicate Scone's Dollar Magic is the speedster to beat for former Hawkesbury trainer Scott Singleton and in-form apprentice Reece Jones into the $120,000 TAB Highway Class 2, 1100m.
Dollar Magic ($4.60 on TAB) in February at Royal Randwick was unlucky enough to strike Mogo Magic, now rated a leading The Kosciuszko and Country Championships contender, in one of the hottest Highways of recent times.
So Dollar Magic's two-length second in a sizzling 57.85 secs over 1000m is the strongest possible form line.
A wide draw and 60kg doesn't faze Scone-based Scott Singleton with the 1.5kg claim for the star apprentice. Vitally the mare has wet form.
Those circumstances are reinforced by a $1 million offer from Hong Kong for Mogo Magic who has won his only three races by a spectacular total of 15-plus lengths.
"This mare is going terrific, we ran into a real smart one at Randwick they ran time, she was dominant winning off it, so this race was written all over her," Scott enthused.
Dollar Magic franked the form with an impressive win over 1100m at Scone with 59kg at $2.15 recently.
The four-year-old Shamus Award mare rises 2.5kg from Randwick. Of little consequence at 1100m for regular series contender Singleton.
From the 56kg at headquarters and the Scone win with 59kg, he anticipated the weight rise. The lightly raced mare has improved spectacularly this prep.
"She has, last two runs, she didn't have a lot of luck that day at Randwick either. Had to course a bit wide, stuck to the task so bravely and they don't know how good the winner might be.
"She backed it up with a big win with weight at Scone, so we planned this race. She's progressed this prep into a lovely mare, and still improvement I think.
"It'll take a good one to beat her the form she's in. No favours the draw but not the disadvantage it once was when Hawkesbury was a lot tighter and shorter run home.
"Reece (Jones) has ridden her regularly; she's got the turn of foot to be on-pace and we've got some weight relief."
At present Dollar Magic is second favourite at $4.60 behind the resuming Penthouse ($4.40) also drawn wide for prolific Highway winner Matthew Dale. Penthouse was impressive winning a Highway from a wide draw in December and is a noted speedster.
The three-year-old Capitalist filly is resuming but has won first-up and primed by a recent Goulburn trial. She contested a Listed race in Brisbane as a two-year-old and also a strong age race in Victoria.
She relishes wet ground and Hawkesbury at present is a Soft 5 in overcast conditions.
