My Magician inside Ngario
Race Images Palmerston North
The punishing schedule of champion jumps jockey Michael Mitchell has been rewarded with feature race success at Awapuni.
The 25-year-old was in action at the Cambridge trials last Monday before heading to Wanganui on Thursday and he then ventured further south on Friday for the South Canterbury fixture at Timaru.
Mitchell drew blanks at both meetings but the 2014-15 premiership winner, who on Monday heads to Melbourne to partner Cambridge jumper Lucky Tonight in a trial at Cranbourne, came up trumps aboard the local hope My Magician in Saturday's Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdles.
They tucked in behind the pace before Mitchell, riding to instructions, urged the gelded son of Remind to the front a long way from home.
"He went super and I put them under a bit of pressure at the 1400 and I didn't want him to be headed so he kept his confidence and he got to the line strongly," he said.
My Magician caught the final fence well to beat Ngario with Thatz David fighting on bravely for third.
"Michael rode the horse exactly how I asked him to," trainer Gary Vile said. "I told him to take it to them and it was a good, tough win.
"Now he's proved he's up to the good ones I'll have a think about things, but he'll probably go to the Wellington Hurdles."
A runaway maiden winner on the flat at his previous appearance, My Magician has now won twice over fences having opened his account at Awapuni last winter. – NZ Racing Desk.
The 25-year-old was in action at the Cambridge trials last Monday before heading to Wanganui on Thursday and he then ventured further south on Friday for the South Canterbury fixture at Timaru.
Mitchell drew blanks at both meetings but the 2014-15 premiership winner, who on Monday heads to Melbourne to partner Cambridge jumper Lucky Tonight in a trial at Cranbourne, came up trumps aboard the local hope My Magician in Saturday's Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdles.
They tucked in behind the pace before Mitchell, riding to instructions, urged the gelded son of Remind to the front a long way from home.
"He went super and I put them under a bit of pressure at the 1400 and I didn't want him to be headed so he kept his confidence and he got to the line strongly," he said.
My Magician caught the final fence well to beat Ngario with Thatz David fighting on bravely for third.
"Michael rode the horse exactly how I asked him to," trainer Gary Vile said. "I told him to take it to them and it was a good, tough win.
"Now he's proved he's up to the good ones I'll have a think about things, but he'll probably go to the Wellington Hurdles."
A runaway maiden winner on the flat at his previous appearance, My Magician has now won twice over fences having opened his account at Awapuni last winter. – NZ Racing Desk.
