Magic tragedy blights Tartak success
Last month’s Hennessy meeting saw perhaps George’s most exciting prospect ever Tell Massini suffer a fatal fall in a novice chase left to Nicholls’ Aiteen Thirtythree.
Although Twist Magic will not leave such a void, the champion trainer’s stable will be emptier without a horse who earned a pair of Tingle Creek victories among five Grade Ones.
Twist Magic (9-4 favourite) was having his first try at two and a half miles on a rare visit to a left-handed track – the race had been switched due to Huntingdon’s abandonment – and was leading when coming down at the second-last fence.
This left his stablemate Breedsbreeze in front but he could not put his stamp on proceedings and Tartak (11-4), who was second to Deep Purple a year ago and had always been to the fore here, was allowed another chance and struck for the first time outside the novice category by half a length. Deep Purple himself was brought down at the second-last.
“We’ve had a bit of luck, but we probably deserved some after what happened here last time,” reflected George after the totesport.com-sponsored contest.
“It’s swings and roundabouts. This horse deserved a big one. He has been a bit ring-rusty at this time of year before but is sharper now.
“I think he’ll get three miles at Aintree and the meeting in April will be his big target, but we will think about the Ryanair at Cheltenham.”
Nicholls said: “Not a good day. He has fractured a pastern and we’ve lost him. He’s been a great horse and it’s always sad when it happens.
“He was still on the bridle when he came down. The other horse (Breedsbreeze) has pulled himself up in front.”
