By Alan Carasso
Bet down from an opening price of 5-1 into 3-1 third favoritism at the off, Touch of Magic (Aus) (f, 2, Sepoy {Aus}) overcame greenness to post an impressive debut victory Wednesday at Scottsville. Partnered by apprentice Diego De Gouveia, the bay filly was off a bit awkwardly, then settled behind a trio of front-runners for the opening 600m. She came under a ride while drifting in at the quarter-mile marker, but she was ultimately maneuvered off heels nearing the furlong grounds and sprinted clear to score by a convincing 3 3/4 lengths. The winner, purchased in utero by Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock for A$135,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, is kin to a yearling colt by Not a Single Doubt (Aus), who fetched A$725,000 from Shadwell Australia out of the Attunga Stud draft at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Touch of Magic also has a full-sister foaled last Sept. 8. She becomes the first South African winner and hails from the second Southern Hemisphere crop for her sire, Sheikh Mohammed's popular winner of the 2011 G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Golden Slipper S.
+Touch of Magic (Aus), f, 2, Sepoy (Aus)–Moccasin Bend (Aus) (GSW-Aus, A$299,175), by Eternity Range. Scottsville, 3-1, Juvenile Plate, 1000mT, :57.32. O-Messrs B Riley, S M Jerrier & M E Leaf; B-Capretti Investments Pty Ltd (WA); T-Paul Lafferty. *A$75,000 Ylg '16 MMGCYS.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
