Twist Magic

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Twist Magic
Sire
Victor Chandler Chase
(2010)

Twist Magic (20 April 2002 – 15 December 2010) was a French-bred, British-trained

Victor Chandler Chase in 2010. He suffered a serious injury while racing in the rearranged Peterborough Chase at Newbury and was put down. He was a rather quirky character, although not at his best at Cheltenham, he was one of the best two-mile chasers of his generation.[1]

Background

Twist Magic was bred by Dr. Georg Hastrich and Co. and initially trained by Guillaume Macaire. He was sired by Irish Derby winner Winged Love a son of Coronation Cup and Breeders Cup Turf winner In The Wings. His dam Twist Scarlett was a daughter of Deutsches Derby winner Lagunas.

Racing career

Early career

Twist Magic made his debut at Auteuil in France as a three-year-old. Racing in a hurdle race over two miles seven furlongs, he finished third to Sasso Lungo.[2] He filled the same position in another hurdle race behind Golden Silver, before winning at the third attempt in June. He was then sold to Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward and Michael Lynch, and relocated to Paul Nicholls’ yard in Somerset, England.

2005/2006 season: Novice hurdling

Twist Magic made his British debut in the Wensleydale Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle at

Anniversary 4yo Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, pulling up two flights from the finish behind Detroit City
.

2006/2007 season: Novice chasing

After a summer break, Twist Magic was switched to fences for his debut race. Sent off at 9/4 and ridden by Ruby Walsh, he won a two-mile novices’ chase at Fakenham by twenty four lengths from Royal Shakespeare.[6] He next ran in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton, where he finished second by just over a length to Jack The Giant, trained by Nicky Henderson.[7] With only two runs over fences under his belt, Twist Magic then ran in the Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Sent off at 12/1, he was staying on well when falling at the second last fence along with future Grand National winner Don't Push It. The Alan King trained My Way De Solzen won the race.[8] Twist Magic gained compensation at Aintree when he won the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase by five lengths from Fair Along.

2007/2008 Season: Chasing

Twist Magic reappeared in a graduation chase over two miles at

Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on heavy ground. Although sent off the 4/5 favourite, he struggled behind a front running Tamarinbleu
and was beaten twelve lengths into second.

Twist Magic's next race came in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, where he was the 5/1 fourth favourite behind Voy Por Ustedes and stablemate Master Minded, who had won the Game Spirit Chase. Twist Magic was ridden by Sam Thomas after Ruby Walsh selected Master Minded, and was well beaten behind that horse after making a bad mistake three out.[10]

Twist Magic gained compensation for the loss when winning the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Chase in April, defeating his stablemate Natal by nearly two lengths.

2008/2009 Season

Twist Magic made his seasonal debut under top weight of 11 st 10 lbs in the

Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton, finishing sixth behind Fiepes Shuffle, who had also fallen in the Tingle Creek.[12]

Despite failing at the track twice, Twist Magic again ran in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, but was unruly in the parade and unseated Sam Thomas, then fell at the fourth last fence as Master Minded recorded his second win in the race.[13] He then bounced back to form at Sandown in the Celebration Chase, which he won by ten lengths from Arkle second Kalahari King.[14]

2009/2010 Season

Twist Magic again made his debut in the Haldon Gold Cup, but put up a better performance than the previous year, running on in the final furlong to take third behind Planet Of Sound.[15] With Master Minded injured, Twist Magic was Paul Nicholls’ main hope in the Tingle Creek, and was ridden by Ruby Walsh. In a change of tactics, he led the entire race and jumped extremely well, defeating 2009 Arkle winner Forpadydeplasterer by fifteen lengths, with former Arkle winner Well Chief in third and future Champion Chase winner Big Zeb fourth.[16]

Seemingly revitalised by the new front running style, Twist Magic made amends for his defeat in the

Victor Chandler Chase two years previously by winning the race by twelve lengths from Petit Robin.[17] Although in much better form this season, Twist Magic was once again a failure in the Champion Chase, blundering four out and being pulled up by Robert Thornton as Biz Zeb triumphed.[18] A trip to Ireland for the Punchestown Champion Chase ended in disaster when he refused to race at the start, leaving Golden Silver to win from Forpadydeplasterer.[19] Twist Magic raced once more that season in the Celebration Chase, where he was third to 9/1 chance I’m So Lucky.[20]

2010/2011 Season

Twist Magic returned in the Haldon Gold Cup for the third year running, this time failing by half a length to concede 19 lbs to his stablemate Tchico Polos, who was ridden by Ruby Walsh.[21] Plans to run in the Tingle Creek were scuppered when Sandown was lost to the weather and the race was transferred to Cheltenham,[22] a track Twist Magic did not prefer. Instead he was rerouted to the Peterborough Chase, also rearranged due to frost and held this year at Newbury.[23] Although initially reluctant to start, Twist Magic had taken the lead and was travelling powerfully when he fell at the second last fence and fractured a fetlock, resulting in him being put down.[24] Jockey Sam Thomas escaped unharmed. Trainer Paul Nicholls paid tribute, calling him "such a wonderful horse" and the injury "a real tragedy".[25]

References

  1. ^ Montgomery, Sue (2010-01-24). "Quirky Twist turns on magic to land pronounced victory – Racing – Sport". The Independent. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  2. ^ "Results From The 2.45 Race At Auteuil (FR) | 20 March 2005". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  3. ^ "Results From The 1.45 Race At Wetherby | 29 October 2005". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  4. ^ "Results From The 3.40 Race At Wincanton | 1 December 2005". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  5. ^ "Results From The 2.45 Race At Sandown | 25 February 2006". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  6. ^ "Results From The 1.20 Race At Fakenham | 4 December 2006". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  7. ^ "Results From The 1.10 Race At Kempton | 27 December 2006". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  8. ^ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Cheltenham | 13 March 2007". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  9. ^ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Sandown | 8 December 2007". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  10. ^ "Results From The 2.20 Race At Cheltenham | 13 March 2008". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  11. ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Exeter | 4 November 2008". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  12. ^ "Results From The 3.15 Race At Kempton | 27 December 2008". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  13. ^ "Results From The 3.20 Race At Cheltenham | 11 March 2009". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  14. ^ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Sandown | 25 April 2009". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  15. ^ "Results From The 3.00 Race At Exeter | 3 November 2009". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  16. ^ "Results From The 2.25 Race At Sandown | 5 December 2009". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  17. ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Ascot | 23 January 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  18. ^ "Results From The 3.20 Race At Cheltenham | 17 March 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  19. ^ "Results From The 6.05 Race At Punchestown (IRE) | 20 April 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  20. ^ "Results From The 2.30 Race At Sandown | 24 April 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  21. ^ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Exeter | 2 November 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  22. ^ By nick pulford 3:08PM 2 DEC 2010 (2010-12-02). "Cheltenham to stage rearranged Tingle Creek | Horse Racing News". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ By Nick Pulford 4:12PM 10 DEC 2010 (2010-12-10). "Twist Magic set to miss Tingle Creek for Peterborough | Horse Racing News". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ "Results From The 3.10 Race At Newbury | 15 December 2010". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  25. ^ By Nick Pulford 3:15PM 15 DEC 2010 (2010-12-15). "Twist Magic suffers fatal fall as Tartak wins | Horse Racing News". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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