By MICHAEL FLOYD
BLACK Magic Opal cemented his place amongst the nation’s great sprinters with an emphatic all-the-way victory in Thursday evenings TAB Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park.
Sent to the boxes an easing even-money favourite, the son of Magic Sprite began well to lead clearly through the first turn and from there was never challenged, charging to a 2.5 length victory in 29.37 seconds.
Purchased for a reported six figure sum, Black Magic Opal has repaid his connections faith by claiming greyhound racing’s biggest prize.
“It’s very satisfying,” said trainer Jason Thompson of his third Melbourne Cup win.
“He was bought with this race in mind so we started planning a long way out.”
‘Max,’ as he’s known at home in the kennels returned from an injury lay off in late September and is undefeated in seven runs since, including a Group 2 Geelong Cup, three track records and a new first split record in his heat run last week.
Despite his impressive record, Thompson believed his charge was under the odds ahead of the final.
“He opened at $1.65 to win the final which I thought was a bit short, and with an odds-on favourite you’re expected to win so it’s a different sort of pressure.
“But I’ve never had any doubt in his ability, and when he began the way he did he was always going to be hard to run down.”
The son of boom sire Magic Sprite is already the subject of considerable interest at stud, however the 30-month-old sprinter’s immediate future remains on the track with the Group 2 Ballarat Cup and Group 1 Hobart Thousand on the agenda.
The win was Black Magic Opal’s third Group race success and 27th victory overall from just 34 career starts. The $350,000 winner’s cheque took his career prize money beyond $496,000.
Andrea Dailly’s Dyna Beth and Hawk Alone filled the minor placing, netting the kennel $150,000 in prize money.
The TAB Melbourne Cup headlined a stellar night of racing at Sandown Park, including the Group 1 SOLO Bold Trease for the stayers which was taken out by Cheetah Zorro to continue a fine family tradition.
The former Tasmanian led from box rise but was headed as the field approached the home turn before rallying to claim a narrow quarter-length victory in 42.26 seconds. Less than one length separated the first five runners across the line in one of the closest finishes seen in a Group 1 final.
Cheetah Zorro is a daughter of Fallen Zorro, 2008 Sandown Greyhound of the Year and three-time Group 2 winner over the distance at Sandown Park – one of those races was the SOLO Bold Trease continuing a tradition that also saw Fallen Zorro’s litter-brother Chinatown Lad claim the 2008 RSN Sandown Cup.
Kennelmate Lucy Wires made it a quinella for the popular Robert Britton kennel, while grand campaigner Destini Fireball placed for the seventh time at Group race level.
