Sawtell Cup challenger to make Dr Frankenstein proud

Unique cross-breeding could be the perfect mix to beat strongest field in years

Trainer Albert Stapleford and racehorse Magic Albert in Melbourne in 2001.

IT’S a unique breeding cross that's starting to pay dividends, and Thursday's strong feature Coffs Harbour meeting offers up another searching test.

In what is one of the strongest Sawtell Cup fields in history, big-finishing five-year-old Lismore gelding Magic Wu is out to land a seventh career win from only 26 starts.

The former North Qld galloper has gone to a new level since joining the Own Glue yard, and produced one of his biggest career wins at Grafton last start zooming home to claim a BM 79 in dominant fashion.

And it could well be that subtle mix of sprint and staying blood that has finally come together.

Magic Wu is by prolific speed sire Magic Albert, out of the unraced mare Charming Lass who was by 1994 Melbourne Cup winner Jeune.

Jeune ridden by jockey Wayne Harris winning Melbourne Cup 01 Nov 1994.

So it‘s easy to see where he gets his closing strength from, yet he’ll need every bit of it around this beautiful sweeping Coffs circuit over the 1500m.

The almost nomadic Newcastle six-year-old Safado who drops back from tougher BM 78 grade, and Port Macquarie duo Chamisal and Mister Smartee all have strong winning claims.

Meanwhile, in a lovely curtain-raiser to the main event, talented yet somewhat frustrating Gosford mare Divine Approach can resume with a bang in a competitive BM 66 Hcp (1200m) and finally start to realise her true career potential.

She should have yielded more than two wins from 14 starts, but has often been without luck and timing, yet you only have to watch her Class 1 win in late June at Grafton when she came from the back to win by nearly five lengths to know what Divine Approach is capable of.

Having trialled in typical quiet fashion, she will appreciate sitting back off a good speed on a spacious track.

Far North Coast stablemates Rest Of The World and Dreamtime Magic, and improving Wyong four-year-old Henschel are the biggest threats.

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