Magri Magic Continues At Wentworth Park

By Jeff Collerson
Jason Magri completed an extraordinary 24 hours when Zipping Novak and Zipping Osti gave him a winning double at Wentworth Park on Saturday night to cap his successes on Friday with Zipping Megatron and Zipping Teresa.

The Kemps Creek trainer took out Friday's Ladbrokes MDC Maiden Final with Zipping Megatron (pictured) in a best of the night 29.42 before landing the Young Star Consolation final with Zipping Teresa in 29.86.

On Saturday he produced Zipping Novak for an all-the-way win in the Free-For-All, clocking a flying 29.49, just 40 minutes after Zipping Osti had come from sixth on the back straight to win a 520m fifth grade in 30.02.


Long odds-on favourite Isle Of Rose gave her backers a slight fright when she ran off the track on the first turn before registering an all-the-way win in Saturday's opening event, stopping the clock at an impressive 29.70.

Isle Of Rose had trialled 29.66 at Wentworth Park and on the strength of that hit-out was a $2.40 favourite for her debut there on October 7 but she bungled the start from box eight and finished fifth.

After Isle Of Rose's two lengths' win on Saturday trainer Troy Macdonald said: "She is still very green.

"We're lucky she had box one and got away cleanly tonight as she lost a fair bit of ground when she got off the track on the first turn.''


Zipping Delvene gave 20-year-old Ben Izzard his first city winner when she overcame a moderate start to lead at the first turn and win on Saturday in her personal best Wentworth Park time of 29.94.

Izzard, who trains a small team as a hobby, bought Zipping Delvene for just $2500 from NSW's most successful owner-breeder Marty Hallinan.

Zipping Delvene, who has value as a potential brood bitch, has now earned over $12,000 in prizemoney.

Winning in identical time to Zipping Delvene on Saturday was Major Ando, formerly an inside draw specialist who notched his third Wentworth Park win in a personal best 29.94 for trainer Luke Azzopardi.

Major Ando had box seven on Saturday but after being third at the catching pen and second on the back straight, he strode to the lead approaching the home bend to win comfortably.

After the race Luke Azzopardi said: "Early in his career Major Ando would crash towards the rails when he drew out wide.

"But now he has learned to race and he goes in a straight line from the boxes to the first turn.''

Major Ando was a fortunate acquisition for Azzopardi who bought him as a puppy for just $2000.

The trainer explained: "A bitch I owned had whelped just one puppy so I needed another youngster to raise with it so went out and bought Major Ando.

"Ironically the solo puppy turned out to have no ability, has been de-sexed and is awaiting re-homing, but the pup I bought as its companion, Major Ando, has earned over $40,000.''


On Saturday Black Wizard came from a distant fifth on the back straight to score his first Wentworth Park win since May, running down tearaway leader My Hepburn to win by a head in 29.95.

After the race trainer Owen Langley said: "Black Wizard is among the fastest trial dogs I have ever trained but he doesn't possess that early zip which enables you to win a lot of races.''