PROMISING youngster Lochinvar Magic has emerged as the key contender in the resistance against interstate raiders ahead of the South Australia Derby.
Scheduled to be conducted at Globe Derby on October 25, the classic has been dominated by border-crossers for the past three decades.
In fact, disregarding the 2022 edition, only one South Australian-trained pacer has won the state's Derby this century!
Successful in 2011, Glengowan is the only local winner of the Derby since No Frolicking in 1996.
The reason the aforementioned version - won by Jawsoflincoln - doesn't count, is it was restricted to SA three-year-olds only.
With Harness Racing SA opening the Blue Riband to all comers again in 2023, Victorian trainer Emma Stewart has won both editions with Our Vinnie and Meteor Moth.
Stewart played the first card in her attempt for a hat-trick at Globe Derby last night, with her representative, Hungry Hippo, finishing second behind Lochinvar Magic in the SAHRC Derby.
Driven to perfection by Dani Hill, Lochinvar Magic beat the $1.10 favourite by two-and-a-half metres, with Imposter Boy eight metres away third.
Rating 1:59.3 over 2230 metres, Lochinvar Magic took his record to four wins and three seconds from nine starts for trainer Ryan Hryhorec.
"He's a nice type and I have a reasonable opinion of him," Hryhorec said. "I wasn't overly-happy with his last start, so I was reserved about how he would go this time, but he put in his best.
"That'll do him now until the Derby heats in a couple of weeks. In between I will just keep him ticking along at home."
