By Jonny Turner
Cran Dalgety declared Magician better than his brother after his commanding win at Addington on Sunday.
The three-year-old raced three-wide in the open for the last 600m of his contest before powering away for an impressive victory for Kentuckiana Lodge.
Magician (Captaintreacherous – Imaginary Bet) has plenty of breeding behind him and he’s always been under close scrutiny because of it.
But now Dalgety is ready to declare the three-year-old is better than his brother.
“I think with all due respect to everyone he is better than his brother,” Dalgety said, “his brother being Durrant, of course.”
Durrant (Art Major – Imaginary Bet) has won six from 56, and is trained by Ross Hope.
“He’s done a nice wee job but I think our fellow has plenty more to come and some nice upside about him.”
“When it comes to his other brother Merlin, well we might still have a bit of catching up to do there,” says Dalgety.
Magician hasn’t hit the track and immediately been able to show his class like his half brother Merlin (Art Major – Imaginary Bet) .
Instead, it took the pacer a handful of starts to come to grips with what racing is all about.
But now that he has done so, he is showing what he is truly capable of.
“As a yearling he would flop around very casually and we had a job just waking him up in the morning.”
“He was still very casual as a two-year-old and even mid-race he needed a reminder or two of what he was there for.”
“He was running in the placings then, but not running up to his potential.”
“But lately he has really figured out what it is all about, which has been very pleasing.”
“We have always known he has a nice motor, it has just taken a little time for him to switch on to the finer points.”
After completing back to back wins at Addington, Magician has earned a freshen up.
The plan now is to aim the pacer at spring racing.
“It has been great to get his confidence up and get his ringcraft up to scratch in the winter.”
“Now he can take on some better types and be able to show what he’s capable of.”
“He will have a wee freshen and look to do battle when the winter is over and things get a bit more exciting.”
Magician is raced by Margaret Creighton, Terry Flynn, Grant Dickey, the First Term Syndicate, Helena Hanning, Ken Cummings, Greg Ayers, Frank Endacott ONZM, Bernard Smith and Jonny Turner.
The group came together after Kentuckiana Lodge purchased Magician at the National Yearling Sales for $200,000.
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