Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes has declared Vega Magic in better shape than last year as he prepares to score back to back wins in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

Vega Magic, above, is in great shape to defend his title in the 2018 Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The former West Australian trained Vega Magic scored a first up win for the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig in the 2017 Goodwood and Ben Hayes said that the powerful sprinter is more advanced in his preparation than twelve months ago.

“If anything, I’d say he’s more forward going into the Goodwood this year,” Hayes told racing.com.

“He’s had three trials (one official, two jump outs), his last one was very strong. He looks very fit, and all his work suggests he’s going as well as he was last year.”

“His first trial was at Seymour, we didn’t ask him to do much that day.

“But he was very impressive. He won the trial quite easily, and Ollie (Damien Oliver) thought if he had something to go with, he would have trialled better.

“We then trialled him at Tatura, it’s a tight track and he has a big stride on him – he didn’t quite handle the corner well, but still trialled well and Ollie thought the track didn’t suit him.

“Then we had the trial at Werribee – where he was ultra-impressive, I think he won by 15-plus lengths, and ran five seconds quicker than any of the other 1100-metre trials, so he’s telling us he’s going really well.”

Damien Oliver takes the ride on Vega Magic in the Goodwood and the high profile hoop will be looking to keep his winning record on the big chestnut intact after they combined for a win in the Listed $120,000 Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield at the start of the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Last year’s Goodwood winning jockey Craig Williams hopped back aboard Vega Magic at his next start for a win in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and the pair stuck together for a second to Redzel in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.

Vega Magic was unplaced at his next two Spring Carnival outings for a fifth in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley followed by a seventh in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington.

Vega Magic has drawn awkwardly at barrier fourteen in the capacity twenty horse Goodwood field but still dominates the betting at $2.70 with Ladbrokes.com.au.

The closest to Vega Magic in The Goodwood betting is the locally trained Lloyd Kennewell mare Viddora at $8 who is just ahead of Voodoo Lad at $10 and the Lindsay Park stablemate Thronum at $11.