David Hayes unveiled a spring contender in impressive three-year-old gelding Gold Mag

DAVID Hayes looks to have unveiled a spring contender in impressive three-year-old gelding Gold Mag who produced an amazing finishing burst to thrash his rivals in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap.

Long-time Lindsay Park stable foreman Bruno Rouge-Serret said wins of that style were rare in racing who made it two starts for two wins when successful at Sandown Lakeside.

“Dave (Hayes) has a very big opinion of the horse. I haven’t seen a horse put away a field like he did for a good while. I think he’s a serious horse,” Rouge-Serret said.

“I know it’s mid-week but you don’t see wins like that very often. We’ll give him a slight let-up and just poke along with him for a month and bring him back for spring.

“If he can find another length and a half he’ll be up to good races. He’s a class act.”

Gold Mag, a three-quarter brother to VRC Derby winner Sangster, was having only his second start and in contrast to his debut where he led and won at Bendigo he came from off the speed.

Craig Williams described him as an exciting prospect.

“To win like that was amazing as he doesn’t really know what he’s doing, He’s got a serious motor and really good raw ability.”

ENGLAND STAYER MAKING HIS MARK
The Lindsay Park stable made it a winning double when former English stayer Sikandarabad won at his third Australian start when an easy winner in the BM78 (1600m) and e would also be set for the spring.

“He’s an English stayer and it’s going to be the further the better for him but we’ll let him keep winning and hopefully he can land in a big race,” Rouge-Serret said.

WILLIAMS EDGES CLOSER TO RECORD
There were no record breaking heroics for Craig Williams on Wednesday but he was still to the fore with a winning treble scoring on Cataracta and Gold Mag in races two and three and then winning the last race on Queen Annabel.

Williams took his tally for the season to 62 winners and stretched his lead over Damian Lane, who won on Thunder Cloud, to eleven in the Melbourne Jockeys Premiership.

He has ridden 12 winners at the past three city meetings with two trebles at Sandown midweekers alongside his record breaking six winners at Flemington last Saturday.

Williams said his lead wasn’t enough yet to be certain of victory with five meetings of the season to go.

ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU CHILLS
Apprentice Fred Kersley said he saw his life flash before his eyes in the final event when Divine Chills took charge of him and crossed the field after it had travelled 200m from the outside to the inside.

Kersley hung on as the mare was uncontrollable in the early stages and caused a chain ripple of interference to the rest of the field.

Kersley said Divine Chills bit down on her and her jaw locked during this but she settled down afterwards.

Stewards didn’t attribute any blame to Kersley but said Divine Chills had to perform in two jump-outs including one from an outside barrier before she could run again.

Julian Hay, stable foreman for John Sadler said the mare had lacerations on her lip but was likely to be retired.

NEW SPIN ON WEIR GELDING
Darren Weir added another double to his tally to 144 winners scoring in the opening race with Social Spin and later in the day with Thunder Cloud.

Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock’s representative Peter Morganti said Weir had a good opinion of Social Spin, after the two-year-old won the opening race.

“He has to work a little and then kicked home. It was a great ride by Johnny Allen. He’s a horse with a good future.”