First Group 1 for Winner for Hellbent as Magic Time Dominates in Sir Rupert Clarke

Mark Smith - Saturday November 18

A career high for the top-class Hellbent mare Magic Time when she unleashed a withering finish to capture Saturday's $1,000,000 Group 1 Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Away she goes (Image Grant Courtney)

Away she goes (Image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Michael Dee for Grahame Begg, Magic Time came with a sweeping run from midfield to defeat the I Am Invincible mare I Am Me by a length with fast-finishing Headwater gelding Strait Acer a neck back in third.

With her fourth stakes success, Magic Time advances her record to five wins and two thirds from eight starts with earnings of $1,205,775.

The 4-year-old mare carries the colours of her breeder, John Muir's Milburn Creek Thoroughbred Stud, after failing to make her $150,000 reserve at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Grahame Begg said switching Magic Time to the Rupert Clarke was a late decision.

"We had the plan to take her to Sydney," Begg revealed.

What a day (image Grant Courtney)

What a day (image Grant Courtney)

"The Invitation was the race we set her for up there, and we could have left her up there to run in the Hot Danish last week, but I thought I'd bring her back, run her in the handicap with 53 (kilos) on her back.

"I thought it was a great race for her. 1400 metres, good speed on, the right recipe for her and she's got the job done.

"I said to Michael before the race don't change anything just because the track is racing that way on speed. Be positive out of the gates, but get cover, don't work up the hill and give her the opportunity to round her race off and she certainly did that."

She's a ripping mare (image Grant Courtney)

She's a ripping mare (image Grant Courtney)

Magic Time was the third leg of a 4-timer at Caulfield for Michael Dee.

"She’s usually a mare that naturally puts herself on speed and I always knew there was going to be a massive amount of speed in this,” Dee said.

“We didn’t get any favours, she’s done it tough, punched the breeze and got pushed wider on the corner.

“To her credit that was a super effort.”

Magic Time is the first foal of Group III winning Nicconi mare Time Awaits, whose two year-old colt by Dundeel, named Henlein, was sold by Milburn Creek at Inglis Easter for $300,000 to Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland.

Time Awaits has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn), but no foal this spring after missing to Wild Ruler.

Magic Time is the first Group 1 winner for Yarraman Park Stud’s I Am Invincible stallion Hellbent.

Race Result - Neds Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Gr1 1400m

Caulfield Track: Good(3) Time: 1:22.51
1
Magic Time
- 4m Hellbent (AUS) x Time Awaits (AUS) (Nicconi (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: M J Dee 53.5
2
1
I Am Me
- 5m I Am Invincible (AUS) x Mefnooda (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: B Shinn 56
3
1.3
Strait Acer
- 4g Headwater (AUS) x Money Wanted (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: Edward Cummings Rdr: M Zahra 55.5
4
1.4
Bandersnatch
- 7g Casino Prince (AUS) x Divine Faith (AUS) (Falbrav (IRE))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jordan Childs 55
5
1.6
Skew Wiff
- 4m Savabeel (AUS) x Starvoia (AUS) (Starcraft (NZ))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: Craig Williams 55
6
3.4
Ayrton
- 6g Iffraaj (GB) x Odessa (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: D Moor 54.5
7
3.5
Wrote To Arataki
- 5m Wrote (IRE) x Galloping Gerte (NZ) (Align (AUS))
Tnr: M J Williams Rdr: D Yendall 52.5
8
3.7
Vilana
- 5h Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Retsina (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: D Oliver 57
9
4.2
Cause For Concern
- 4g Worthy Cause (AUS) x Rock Paper Sissors (NZ) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Shawn Mathrick Rdr: Jamie Kah 53
10
4.9
Munhamek
- 8g Dark Angel (IRE) x Cadenza (FR) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: Nick Ryan Rdr: L Currie 53.5
11
6.7
The Inferno
- 7g Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) x Spina Rosa (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: J Noonan 55
12
6.9
General Beau
- 5h Brazen Beau (AUS) x Phosphorescence (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Ms L J Meech 53
13
7.3
Crosshaven
- 6g Smart Missile (AUS) x Irish Colleen (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: D W Stackhouse 52.5
14
10.5
Zoutori
- 8g Zoustar (AUS) x Atotori (AUS) (Haradasun (AUS))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Beau Mertens 54.5
15
12.8
Buffalo River
- 8g Noble Mission (GB) x Fashion Insider (USA) (Indian Charlie (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Celine Gaudray 53.5
16
27.8
Chain Of Lightning
- 5m Fighting Sun (AUS) x Magic Art (AUS) (Perugino (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: W Egan 53.5
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