Cody Mo Wai-kit let out a huge sigh of relief as he left the weighing room after the sixth race at Sha Tin on Saturday. Not only had Magic Control held on for a first win at Class Two level under Matthew Chadwick, but his four-year-old had seen off one of most hyped sprinters in Hong Kong in the process. Much of the talk before Saturday’s Class Two Panasonic Japan Made System Kitchen Handicap (1,000m) surrounded the John Size-trained Wunderbar, but that didn’t faze Chadwick, who drove his willing partner to the line to deny the $1.
40 favourite by a shorthead. Magic Control hit the front at halfway with Wunderbar and Zac Purton breathing down his neck. Sent for home 300m out, he did just enough in the final furlong to keep the fast-finishing chestnut at bay.
That's impressive, Magic Control! 🪄 Cody Mo's talented chestnut, formerly known as Archo Nacho in Australia, denies Wunderbar down the straight at Sha Tin under @mattLchadwixk ...
🌟 #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/Li8NDSuUfS “I was a little bit relieved that he held on,” Mo said.
“In his first run for my stable he ran a very good time and in the Group Three he also ran a fast time, so I could see he had a lot of ability. “The only concern for me in the race was Wunderbar, but he did a good job.” Magic Control collected three wins from six starts under the name of Archo Nacho in Australia, headlined by his victory in the Group Three Red Anchor Stakes (1,200m) at Moonee Valley in October last year.
