Stephen Marsh’s Magic Carpet delivers upset win in the Guineas at Te Rapa

Magic Carpet and Jonathan Riddell were too good for their rivals in the Hawke's Bay Guineas. Photo / Kenton Wright

Talented colt Magic Carpet chose the ideal moment to break his maiden status when he produced a dogged effort to claim victory in the Group 2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Prepared at Cambridge by Stephen Marsh, the son of Satono Aladdin looked to have plenty of ability when finishing third at his first two starts, with Marsh confident that if he received even luck in running on Saturday he was not a forlorn hope.

Those circumstances played out perfectly for the Marsh runner as rider Jonathan Riddell had him nicely away and settled quietly in fifth as stablemate Tale Of The Gypsy set a steady pace in front.

Riddell had Magic Carpet trucking with a full head of steam rounding the home bend, but things got a little dicey at that stage as he looked to force his way between Faultless and Quondo, who had taken over at the 300m.

Riding at his aggressive best, Riddell found a gap and shot his mount to the lead and found plenty to fight off a game Quondo, who had sat three-wide throughout, and Faultless, who battled on strongly for third.

Marsh was breathing a sigh of relief after receiving plenty of messages before the race from the colt’s US-based majority shareholder Dennis Foster.

“I’ve had a couple of text messages from Dennis of Bourbon Lane during the day. He wasn’t that happy so thank god we won,” Marsh joked.

“We had to ride him upside down last time at Taupō and I thought Jonathan would be someone who would really suit this horse as he is a good, strong rider.

“He got the best out of him as he just loped along when he hit the front. He has plenty of upside and is just a lovely horse.”

Marsh acknowledged there are some heady targets ahead of the colt now he has his first win, including a possible tilt at the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 15.

“He is going in the right direction and has plenty to come and go on,” he said.

“He will probably come back for the Sarten [Group 2, 1400m] and then down to the 2000 Guineas.

“I think he will be very competitive as he is loving life and he is a laidback horse, although he started to get a little naughty today.

“He is as good a style of colt as you would see and I think he is much better on top of the ground.”

Bred by Jenna McLeod, her brother Brian and her parents Philip and Jackie Rogers out of their Tavistock mare From Eden, Magic Carpet is closely related to Australian Group 2 winner The Fuzz and Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) winner Stolen Dance.

He was purchased for $320,000 by Marsh and Bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson out of the Carlaw Park draft during the Book 1 sale at Karaka in 2024

TAB has installed Magic Carpet at a $10 fixed odds quote for the 2000 Guineas, where Hostility and He Who Dares sit as the current joint $6 favourites.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk