Hill Places For Magic Hurricane And Complacent

Magic Hurricane just lost out in the Group Two Ascend Sales Trophies Hill Stakes over 10 furlongs at Royal Randwick, Australia, on Saturday September 19, with stable companion Complacent finishing third.

Complacent, trained by John O'Shea with Sam Clipperton up, broke smartly from stall 10 and raced prominently on the wide outside.

He went into the lead after the first quarter-mile pole, while Magic Hurricane (James McDonald) was held up in seventh of the 14 runners.

Complacent came across to the inside and slowed the pace down before kicking for home entering the straight.

Magic Hurricane, switched wide turning in, progressed strongly to take a narrow advantage inside the final furlong but was headed in the closing stages, going down by a head to Preferment who went past the post in 2m 6.81s on soft going. Complacent kept on to hold third, three quarters of a length further in arrears.

John O'Shea commented: "Magic Hurricane ran great but three weeks between runs probably had him travelling a bit too keenly early and I felt that negated his finish.

"When he joined in I thought he was going to go straight past them and James felt the horse may have got to the front a bit too quickly.

"This was a really good trial for the Metropolitan (Group One, 12f, October 3, Royal Randwick) where he will drop 7kgs, so he should have a nice chance then.

"I thought Complacent was the run of the race. He was entitled to finish last after leading most of the way and held on for third.

"He had to work feverishly to get across from his outside gate and just raced beautifully. I am very proud of him and he will have one more run before going into the Caulfield Cup (Group One, 12f, October 17, Caulfield). If he draws a decent gate in the Cup, carrying 53kgs, he will be frightfully hard to beat."