By Tom Frary
With racemares like Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), there is a sense of point-and-shoot and Wayne Lordan had little trouble in steering her to a sixth top-level success in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh. Sent to the front almost from the outset, the 2-9 favourite merely had to repeat her effort when winning the course-and-distance G1 Pretty Polly S. June 28 and she gave generously to issue another beating to over-matched rivals. Kicking off the home turn, she stayed on strongly as expected as stablemate Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) earned second, 2 1/4 lengths behind. He was in turn two lengths ahead of last year's G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was putting up her best effort of 2020. “It went perfectly–she's top-class,” Lordan said. “She's very straightforward and gets into a lovely rhythm–she went by the line not in top gear. She's a massive mare to ride and has a big, powerful action so with a small field with not a whole lot of pace I opted to keep it simple. I was riding the best horse and she's uncomplicated with a great attitude. As we know, she can fight when she has to but she hasn't had to in her last two starts.”
Were it not for Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Magical would have another three group 1s to boast of and in this era of the supermares she stands as one of the trailblazers for her sex. Her career has particularly taken off since September, when she captured the first leg of a notable G1 Irish-English Champion S. double at Leopardstown. Forcing connections into keeping her in training for one more season, she now has four group 1 wins from her last five starts and has justified that decision in no uncertain terms. Now that she is accustomed to making her own running, it could be that she is able to put it up to the Juddmonte sensation the next time their paths cross.
Lordan is of the opinion that the change in tactics is beneficial. “She jumped and she bowled away, she has a big easy action. She made it the last day and zinged along, today she was a little bit more relaxed out there in front,” he added. “I felt if anyone got to me, it would only help me. From the minute you sit on her till you get off, she feels like she has a presence. She's a high-quality filly and she is definitely up there with the top ones, we know that by her form.”
Aidan O'Brien was at home and told the Racing Post, “She is a great mare. The only reason she is here now is because of the progress she made over the winter and she had progressed again from the Pretty Polly, so we are delighted the lads kept her in training. She might get a little bit of an easy time of it now, but the options would be the [G1] Juddmonte International and the [G1] Irish Champion Stakes. She could wait for the Irish Champion, but we'll see.”
Magical's dam Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who was bred by Trevor Stewart, won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. and is making her own special mark within the Coolmore broodmare band. Covered by Galileo throughout her second career, she has produced the G1 Lockinge S., G1 Fillies Mile and G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Rhododendron (Ire), as well as the G3 International S. scorer Flying the Flag (Ire). Halfway To Heaven is out of Stewart's triple group-winning sprinter Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who also produced the G3 Summer S. scorer Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire). She has become a star producer in her own right, throwing the GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) from a mating with Galileo and also the G2 Richmond S. scorer Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never). Halfway To Heaven's daughter Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) raced for her owner-breeder and took the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S.
The third dam Rahaam (Secreto) was responsible for the notable sire Verglas (Ire) and the listed scorer Persian Secret (Fr) (Persian Heights {GB}), who is the ancestress of several classy performers. Her daughters Seba (GB) (Alzao) and Do the Honours (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) were decent types, with the former capturing the Listed Chesham S. and finishing third in the GI Mother Goose S. and Do the Honours winning the G3 Prix de Meautry. The latter is the second dam of the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (GB) by Galileo's son Teofilo (Ire). Halfway To Heaven also has a yearling full-brother to Magical.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP-G1, €250,000, Curragh, 7-26, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:10.39, g/y.
1–MAGICAL (IRE), 135, m, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Broodmare Of The Year-Ire, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $941,139), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahaam, by Secreto
O-Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €150,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 9.5-11f, Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 11-14f, MG1SW-Eng & GISP-US, 23-11-6-0, $4,631,071. *Full to Rhododendron (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-USA, $1,786,763; Flying the Flag (IRE), GSW-Ire & GSP-SAf, $195,702. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sir Dragonet (Ire), 138, c, 4, Camelot (GB)#tot">Camelot (GB)–Sparrow (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Wynatt & Chelston (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €50,000.
3–Search For A Song (Ire), 135, f, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Polished Gem (Ire), by Danehill. O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €25,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, HF. Odds: 0.22, 18.00, 50.00.
Also Ran: Armory (Ire), Leo de Fury (Ire), Buckhurst (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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