Magic Carpet (NZ) Soars to Hawke’s Bay Guineas Success

Progeny of Satono Aladdin bought from the Karaka Sales Centre are putting together an imposing recent record in the $175,000 Group Two Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).

The 2025 edition of the prestigious spring feature was run at Te Rapa on Saturday and taken out by the up-and-comer Magic Carpet (NZ), who was bought by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock for $320,000 from Carlaw Park’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2024.

Magic Carpet has joined the Hawke’s Bay Guineas roll of honour alongside another son of Satono Aladdin, Lantern Way (NZ), who won the same race at Hastings in 2023. These two Guineas-winning Karaka graduates represent the two most recent crops of New Zealand three-year-olds sired by Satono Aladdin, because he was unable to shuttle to Rich Hill Stud in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Magic Carpet has always been held in high regard by Stephen Marsh. After the three-year-old recorded placings in both of his first two starts on August 23 and September 17, the Cambridge trainer had no hesitation in stepping him up to Group Two level on Saturday despite his $32 odds. Magic Carpet rose to the occasion and proved that he belongs at that level.

Ridden by Jonathan Riddell, Magic Carpet settled in fifth before beginning to warm him into his work coming into the home straight. He was briefly held up for a run with 300 metres remaining, but then Riddell found a gap and Magic Carpet burst through. The colt dashed to the lead and went on to win by three-quarters of a length from fellow Karaka graduates Quondo (Wootton Bassett) and Faultless (NZ) (Tivaci).

“He is as good a style of colt as you’ll see and I think he is much better on top of the ground,” Marsh said.

“We had to ride him upside down last time at Taupo and I thought Jonathan would be someone who would really suit this horse today. He got the best out of him. This colt has plenty of upside and is just a lovely horse. He is going in the right direction and has plenty more improvement to come.

“He will probably come back to Te Rapa for the Sarten Memorial (Group Two, 1600m) and then head to Christchurch for the 2000 Guineas (Group One, 1600m). I think he’ll be very competitive.”

Magic Carpet has now had three starts for a win and two placings, earning $104,540 for an ownership group headed by the 2024 Bourbon Lane Stables New Zealand Partnership.

Runner-up Quondo was offered at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale, where he failed to meet his $150,000 reserve. He has had two starts for a win and a placing, earning $42,735.

The third-placed Faultless was passed in during Book 1 of Karaka 2024, then was re-offered in the National Online Yearling Sale and bought for just $6,500. He has had seven starts for a win, two placings and $45,220.

Vendor	Carlaw Park
Purchaser	Stephen Marsh Racing/Dylan Johnson Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Satono Aladdin – From Eden
Sale	Lot 97, Karaka 2024 Book 1, $320,000
Breeder	Mrs J C McLeod, B G, Mrs J J & P W Rogers
Owner	2024 Bourbon Lane Stables New Zealand LLC Partnership, Dennis E Foster, P Davey, Dr P H Mitchell, Mrs J J & P W Rogers & G R Wilson