by Greg Gangle, WEG Communications

Toronto, ON — After winning in her first start of the season last week at 50-1, trainer and co-owner Frank O’Reilly can only hope Magic Feeling is ready to pull another disappearing trick on the field in Thursday night’s (May 1) Celias Counsel final at Woodbine.

The daughter of Kadabra scored an eye-catching 1:57 victory in last week’s second round of the Celias Counsel and now advances to the rich C$34,400 final, slated for race six.

New Image Media photo

Magic Feeling scored an eye-catching 1:57 victory in last week’s second round of the Celias Counsel.

“We’ll take the long bombs along with the short ones,” O’Reilly chuckled about the major upset. “Her winning didn’t really catch me by surprise because she trotted a :57 back half in her qualifier. The speed was there.”

O’Reilly first laid eyes on Magic Feeling two years ago at the 2012 Harrisburg yearling sale where he purchased the bay filly for $30,000.

“She was a big, strong, raw boned filly that came from a good family,” O’Reilly said. “Her brother is doing quite well right now (Nowucit Nowudont-$209,977) and she was within the price range.”

After numerous qualifying attempts last season and one start, O’Reilly elected to pull the plug on Magic Feeling’s rookie campaign.

“She was immature and had some aches and pains, so we had to do what was best by her,” he said. “We raced her once and could have continued, but the year was pretty much over. We brought her along far enough to find out that she was well worth keeping. She has a lot of talent to her.”

Looking ahead to this year’s final of the Celias Counsel, O’Reilly remains optimistic about his chances.

“I think she has as good of a shot as any of them in there,” he said. “She’s paid into the Casual Breeze and Elegantimage so I do think enough of her. If she’s on her game, she will be just fine.”

John Fielding and Isidoro Russo also own the bay filly who has stashed away $6,825 in earnings.

This year’s final of the Celias Counsel will be race six on Thursday evening’s 10-race program.

The field will line up as follows: 1. Serendipitous, 2. Magic Feeling, 3. Flexible Woman, 4. K D Bella, 5. Fashion Goddess, 6. Tosca, 7. Kadabra Lavictoire, 8. Wings Of Ballykeel, 9. Miss Everything, 10. Just Call Me Lady.