Paul Facoory landed a winning double and watched on as Magic Speed ($2.50) confirmed her status as a future star at Queanbeyan on Tuesday.
Magic Speed, ridden by Pierre Boudvillain, was a class above her rivals in the 900m Class 1 Handicap, winning by 2.28 lengths.
After jumping well from the outside gate, Magic Speed raced close to the early leader and red-hot favourite Ghilemi (Angus Villiers, $1.75) from the Mitch Beer yard.
Boudvillain was patient, and the pair cruised up three wide before putting pay to their rivals.
“It was very pleasing. She’s improved in strength since her last prep, and she seems to be a lot more forward in the running mentally,” Facoory told Country Punter.
“The break really helped her, and she is starting to focus a little bit better.
“She still has those manners around the gates, and she is a bit stubborn, but after a while, she progresses out of that and moves forward, and she is getting better all the time.”
As a 2YO, the Bon Hoffa filly won on debut at Queanbeyan on May 11, putting nearly three lengths on her rivals in the 900m Maiden Plate.
Then stepping up in class, taking on The Lamont Classic for 2YO gallopers at Wagga on June 5, the Queanbeyan galloper bombed the start but wasn’t disgraced, finishing sixth, beaten less than four lengths.
Following a let-up, Magic Speed lived up to her name and lofty billing at Queanbeyan.
“She has been like that the whole way through,” Facoory said.
“It’s taken a bit of time, but she is maturing into a nice horse.”
In terms of what is next for Magic Speed, the Queanbeyan trainer may target another country race before setting his sights on something bigger.
“She is a 3YO filly, and we’ll look at some of the 3YO filly races, but she has still got to get a little bit of confidence,” Facoory said.
“Whether we give her one more country race before we go to town, I don’t know yet, but we’ll see how she progresses over the next couple of weeks and go from there.”
Later on the Queanbeyan program, Facoory’s stable landed a second triumph as Anthracia (Pierre Boudvaillain, $9) got home strongly to win the 1000m Benchmark 58 Handicap.
“Anthracia is a very strong mare, and she puts her ears back, and really fights to the end,” Facoory said.
“That was a tough win, and she still has a few wins in her.”
That A Boy (Billy Owen, $3.30) could be the runner to add to the black book after a good third in the 1460m Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Despite travelling five-wide into the straight, the 5YO Bon Hoffa gelding held on for a gutsy third, beaten just over a length by the Greg Stephens-trained Geostorm (Mathew Cahill, $4.40)
“The impressive run of the day was That A Boy after he raced three wide the whole way and just kept coming,” Facoory said.
