News

City to build on Classic Guineas record

15th Sep 2010

The Grahame Begg trained Ilovethiscity emulated his sire Magic Albert in winning today’s Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

In winning, ILOVETHISCITY ($40,000 2009 Classic, 3c Magic Albert-Kensington Rose) continued the stakes winning run of Inglis Classic graduates, following Whobegotyou and Becerra on Saturday.

He was generally regarded as the unlucky runner when third in last month’s $1million Group 1 Golden Rose and he was sent out a warm favourite to atone today.

Unlike his unlucky story at Rosehill, jockey Glen Boss ensured the colt found clear running soon after entering the straight and he let down with a superior turn of foot to put the result beyond doubt very quickly.

Begg, who picked the colt out of the Fairview Park draft at Classic, now intends to head south for a crack at the Caulfield Guineas.

Winning rider Glen Boss has no doubts the colt is up to Guineas standard.

“He has a magic stride and felt like he didn’t even touch the ground,” Boss said.

“I thought I was on the best horse in the race and just let him cruise into it. He has an amazing turn of foot and even though he won by a length, it was a very soft win.

“He got there way too soon and didn’t know what to do the last furlong. If he has a bunny to chase, he will be electric. He has all the attributes to be a really good horse.”

The Caulfield Guineas has been a happy hunting ground for Classic graduates, with winners including In Top Swing, God’s Own and Whobegotyou in recent times.

Ilovethiscity’s sire Magic Albert, a member of the Yarraman Park stallion roster, won this race when beating multiple G1 winner Viscount in 2001. Ilovethiscity has a pedigree strongly linked to the Newcastle three-year-old feature, as 1995 winner Vernal is also from the family.

It is the family of Begg’s former AJC Oaks winner Mahaya, in addition to multiple Group 1 winner Grosvenor and Australian Horse of the Year Lonhro.