Cawbourne Magic ready for Queensland test after Christmas win
Cawbourne Magic will take the confidence of being the best stayer in New South Wales up to Queensland next year.
That was the opinion of Paul Mills, the handler for Jodie and Andy Lord, after the star two-year-old's impressive three-quarter-length victory in the $34,400 Christmas Cheer Invitational over 720m at Wentworth Park on the weekend.
The young gun already with over $225,000 to his name could not be kept at bay after he unleashed a stunning turn of foot deep into the back straight.
Before then, he was back in fifth spot and four lengths off the leader for Allan Manwaring, French Vanilla.
Cawbourne Magic still had plenty of work to do coming into the final turn, two lengths behind Jeff Britton's star bitch Mepunga Ruby, who has over $435,000 to her name.
And again he stepped up when required, mowing her down comfortably.
Bold Trease winner Stagger Out Lee finished strongly to be third at the post for Jack Strutt.
2022 Christmas Cheers Invitational replay – Cawbourne Magic (1st)
After Cawbourne Magic's comprehensive four-length Newcastle Cup win on December 9, Mills told Australian Racing Greyhound that the Lords were thinking of sending their long-distance standout to Brisbane.
The aim at Albion Park would be the $150,000 Gold Cup, with the final scheduled for February 2.
Cawbourne Magic's run on Saturday night only reinforced the belief of the Lord operation that he would be very hard to beat over 710m in the Queensland capital.
“He's showing it (he's the best stayer in New South Wales) and proving it. He's getting very adaptable, and that was a class field,” Mills told The Dogs.
“In my opinion, it was the classiest field he's been against.
“To give a quality Group bitch like that (Mepunga Ruby) a start and to come from wide, he couldn't have been more impressive.”
Indeed, Mills believes Cawbourne Magic has come of age, as he told this publication after his Newcastle Cup victory.
But even he held doubts he would win on the weekend after he was stuck in a wide lane behind Britton's consistent performer.
“Huge (performance to win),” he said.
“When he was trapped so wide, I didn't think he'd be able to get them.
“Giving that quality Group bitch a start like that, to run her down – I thought she was home.
“He had to overcome that, and that's what all good topliners have to do.”