The Charlie Hills-trained three-year-old was giving the ever-popular jockey Frankie Dettori a first victory in the big sprint handicap which carries a total prize fund of approximately $500k.
Hills, who also trains recent July Cup winner Muhaarar, is building up a
formidable band of sprinters, and Magical Memory became the first
three-year-old to win this race since Danetime in 1997. Drawn one, it needed both horse and jockey to be brave to take a gap which could so easily have closed on the far side, but take it they did and a smart turn of foot in the final 200m sealed matters.
Dettori said: "I've been waiting years for this, I've been beaten a few times, but what a horse, very brave.
"He went through a narrow gap and I can't fault him.
Hills said: "It's incredible, I'm a little bit speechless to be honest. I thought it was a really good line-up, but Frankie gave him the most beautiful ride and had lots of confidence in the horse.
"I think we've got to step him up to Group-race company now. He's got a great temperament and a wonderful attitude.
"He was unexposed and we always thought he was a Group horse in a handicap."
Magical Memory's sire, Zebedee, amassed a whopping 32 first-crop two-year-old winners in 2014 and is the current runaway leading second-season sire with 46 winners already in 2015.
He will stand his first stud season in Australia at Cornerstone Stud this spring at a fee of $17,600 inc. GST.
