Magri Sweating On State of Origin Invitation

RAY Magri is sweating on a State of Origin invitation at Albion Park for Saturday night's Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup winner Zipping Niseko.

RAY Magri is sweating on a State of Origin invitation for Saturday night's Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup winner Zipping Niseko.

The Hallinan family-bred bitch, from a fabulous Aston Dee Bee-Crafty Lady litter that also includes G1 winners Zipping Sapporo and Zipping Moose, scored narrowly but impressively in the Gold Cup beating Sandy Grant and Prim And Proper in 42.32.

“They didn't want her in the market,” said Magri relating the $10 starting price for the bitch. “They all thought the one (Prim And Proper) and Stanley Road were the best.

“But, this bitch is really improving and showing a lot of track sense now that she has put together a few distance races.”

The State Of Origin over 710m at Albion Park is invitation only, four from Queensland and four from NSW to be run on June 3.

“I suppose she is pretty high up to get an invitation now,” said Magri of the chances of being invited to Queensland.

He would not be committed to taking the bitch back for the Group 1 Queensland Cup at the end of June.

“We will see how things work out of course, but if she is still going great, we could always send her up to a trainer for the series,” said Magri. “We've had success sending dogs to Tony Brett for races at Albion Park so that's an option.”

Zipping Niseko has now won three of her past four over distance at Wentworth Park and was a finalist in the G1 Association Cup.

“She keeps putting in every week,” said Ray. 

“It was a big thrill to win the Cup for the first time.

“Those Aston Dee Bee dogs are fabulous kennel dogs, very settled.”

Marty Hallinan said he was already looking forward to breeding careers for the litter sisters Niseko and Sapporo.

 

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