Hawkes Racing is giving high-priced colt Magic every chance to fulfil a destiny it dreamed of for him from the moment the team secured him for $2.5 million at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Wayne Hawkes declared minutes after the son of Snitzel was knocked down that he hoped he could emulate Estijaab, a $1.7 million daughter of Snitzel who Hawkes and his father John and brother Michael prepared to win the 2018 Golden Slipper.
“Estijaab was a top-priced Snitzel filly and this bloke will be heading on the same sort of path as her hopefully,” Hawkes said in what could prove to be prophetic words.
Magic, who is out of Group 1-winning stayer Rising Romance , will make his debut in Saturday’s Silver Slipper Stakes, a race in which Estijaab finished runner-up to Sunlight before winning the Reisling Stakes and Golden Slipper.
Magic was always going to command headlines as an Easter sale-topper, but interest only increased after his sister Yearning won last year’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas.
Yearning had been to the races once, for a second placing in a 2YO Fillies Maiden on the Kensington track at Randwick, when Magic was sold.
Yearning and Magic are the first two foals from Rising Romance who won the Group 1 ATC Oaks and finished second six times at the highest level, including the 2014 Caulfield Cup.
The daughter of Ekraar has only ever been served by Snitzel and has a chestnut colt who will be one of the most anticipated lots at this year’s Inglis Easter Sale and a bay weanling colt.
Magic, who carries the distinctive Rupert Legh colours made famous by Chautauqua , trialled twice last spring and has been fitted up for his debut with a Flemington jumpout on January 21 and a Warwick Farm trial on February 4.
To be ridden by Willie Pike, Magic is a $34 chance in a TAB Silver Slipper market headed by Widden Stakes winner Queen Of The Ball at $2.60.