Lucky Magic casts his spell in Gold Vase
Lucky Magic (NZ) (Mendelssohn) smashed the course record when he was successful in the RM150,000 Ipoh Ladies Gold Vase (1400m) at Ipoh on Sunday.
Trainer HY Cheng declared afterwards that the Mendelssohn galloper has yet to regain his peak form after being out of action for seven months since finishing third in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2000m) last December.
Lucky Magic resumed in a Supreme A event event over 1400m last month, beating the high-rated Platinum Emperor (NZ) (Sweynesse).
That run took some of the rough edges off the gelding and although coming up against some smart gallopers – both visiting and home based runners – in the Gold Vase today, punters sent him off the odds-on favourite, with Bernardo Pinheiro riding at the track for the first time since 2020.
Staged for the first time over 1400m, the 2026 edition of the Gold Vase was an eventful one.
Lucky Magic raced up to leader Eruption at the 200m and started to pull away soon after. From the chasing pack emerged Winning Stride and he was the one who ran Lucky Magic closest at the line. Eruption held on for third, followed by Flying Nemo and Good Friendship.
Lucky Magic stopped the clock at 1min 21.05secs, 1.36 second faster than the previous record by Heavenly Warrior just a couple of months ago.
Today’s success for Lucky Magic followed that of his Penang Gold Cup (2000m) win in 2024 and the Selangor Gold Cup (1600m) last year.
His biggest win, however, came in the RM1mil Selangor Mile last year.
For Cheng, the work continues to get Lucky Magic in tip-top shape for two major assigments ahead – the RM300,000 NZB Ready To Run Open Championship (1400m) on Sep 5 and the Selangor Gold Cup at the end of next month.
For Pinheiro, it was another feather in the cap for the Brazilian who has been riding in a rich vein of form of late.
“I managed two winners here (at Ipoh) in 2019 and last rode here in the Perak Derby on Black Thorn in 2020,” recalled Pinheiro.
On the Gold Vase, he said: “The pace was fast, so I had to get him (Lucky Magic) going early.
“I was racing wide early but managed to get him in to the rails. I switched him out making the turn into the straight and he fought every inch of the way to the line.
“The other horses were coming at us at the finish but I knew he would never give up.
“I am very lucky to be given the ride on the horse (for the first time). A big thanks to Cheng and the owners.”
Purchased by Cheng for NZ$75,000 from the draft of Prima Park at the Ready To Run sale, Lucky Magic has now won 11 races in 16 starts.
