Karaka Graduate Captures Penang Gold Cup

Sunday’s RM300,000 Penang Gold Cup (2000m) was won in powerful come-from-behind style by Lucky Magic (NZ) (Mendelssohn), who was bought from the Karaka sale ring and also has a half-sister catalogued for Karaka 2025.

Lucky Magic was offered by Prima Park in Book 1 of Karaka 2022 and was bought for $35,000. He later returned to Karaka as a member of the Prima Park draft for the Ready to Run Sale, where the HY Cheng Racing Stable secured him for $75,000. He has now had eight starts for four wins, two placings and more than RM200,000 (NZ$80,000) in stakes.

Lucky Magic was ridden by Andre Luiz Da Silva and settled in midfield before unleashing a potent burst in the straight and rapidly charging into contention. The four-year-old finished over the top of his fellow Karaka graduate Good Fight (Super One) and went on to win by a length and a quarter.

The Penang Gold Cup was a new highlight for Lucky Magic’s trainer Cheng Han Yong, who began his career with a valuable nine-year stint in New Zealand’s South Island. After initially working alongside the likes of respected horsepeople John and Karen Parsons and Stephen Blair-Edie, Cheng trained nine winners in his own right during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 racing seasons in New Zealand.

“I feel very happy, this is my biggest win,” Cheng told local media on Sunday. “I had two runners today and two winners. To do it in my home town, it doesn’t get any better than that.

“There’s more to come from Lucky Magic. I think he can win more big races in 2025. I plan to run him in the 4YO Mile Championship (1600m) in July.

“I targeted the Penang Gold Cup for him for a long time, because I knew he’d carry only 52 kilograms. I know he can get 2000 metres and even longer.”

Brighthill Farm will offer a half-sister to Lucky Magic during Book 2 of Karaka 2025 in late January. The filly by exciting young stallion Hello Youmzain will go through the ring as Lot 751.