High-priced New Zealand-bred colt Mitch Maguire possesses dazzling gate speed and his prospects of winning the $125,000 Premier Avan Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park on Friday night soared when he drew the coveted No. 1 barrier in the Group 1 feature harness racing event over 2130m.
Mitch Maguire, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, will be handled by Ryan Warwick, who drove 9/1 chance Spirit of Navajo to victory over Devastating in the 2005 Golden Slipper. Greg Bond trained Ohokas Bondy for his Slipper triumph in 2010.
Mitch Maguire left New Zealand by plane on June 27 and eight nights later he created a massive impression when he smashed the Narrogin track record for 1823m at his Australian debut.
He began speedily from the back line and quickly moved alongside the pacemaker Writing On Thewall before Warwick sent him to the front after 650m. Warwick then gave Mitch Maguire his head with 400m to travel and the colt careered away from his rivals before coasting to victory by seven and a half lengths from Lord Willoughby.
He rated 1.55.4, which obliterated the track record set by four-year-old mare Chelsea Diamond in January 2011 and equalled six months later by three-year-old filly Siena Franco.
That was his first start since he began brilliantly from barrier one and sprinted over the first 400m in a sizzling 27.3sec. in the 1609m $150,000 Emerald for two-year-old colts and geldings at Cambridge on June 4. After a second quarter in 28.9sec. Mitch Maguire relinquished the lead after 950m and finished a good fourth behind More The Better, who covered the metric mile in 1.53.3, with a final quarter in 27.7sec.
At his previous outing, in a $195,000 classic over 1950m at Addington on May 14 Mitch Maguire began with dazzling pace from the No. 4 barrier and burst straight to the front before Brent Mangos restrained the colt after 150m to trail the pacemaker. Mitch Maguire finished a splendid fourth behind More The Better, who rated 1.54.4.
Before that, Mitch Maguire was first out from the No. 1 barrier and led for the first 450m before Mangos surrendered the lead to Van Mara. Mitch Maguire took advantage of the sprint lane and got to the front 150m from the post to win by two lengths from Concorde, rating 1.57.7 over 2200m, with a final quarter in 28.8sec.
He was also a winner at Alexandra Park at the end of February when he began speedily from the No. 6 barrier and set the pace before scoring easily over 1700m.
Mitch Maguire is by American stallion Sportswriter and is the first foal out of the unraced Christian Cullen mare Miley Maguire, a full-sister to Davy Maguire, who won 17 times at Gloucester Park and earned $285,948 from 23 wins and 30 placings from 159 starts.
While Mitch Maguire is expected to be an odds-on favourite, there will be support for several promising and well-performed runners in the race.
El Barcelona, an inexperienced but richly talented New Zealand-bred gelding trained by Gary Hall sen., has won at three of his six starts and is capable of a bold showing.
Im Rockaria, a Victorian-bred colt trained by Michael Brennan, gave a sample of his class when he stormed home to win the group 1 Pearl Classic early last month; West Australian-bred The Real Ideal, trained by Peter Anderson, will be fancied from the No. 3 barrier. He revealed excellent gate speed to set the pace and win the group 1 Westbred Classic at a 1.58.1 rate over 2130m last Friday week.
David Thompson’s Allmightyjoelouis won the group 1 Sales Classic in April when he led and defeated The Real Ideal (breeze). Wesley and Sergeant Oats have also won feature events and the promising Major Pocket and Baylan Jett have the ability to cause an upset.
Ken Casellas