By Tom Frary
Adding to the remarkable diversity of the Platinum Jubilee Royal Ascot, Jessie Harrington became the 16th trainer to celebrate success from 17 races run by the time Yuesheng Zhang's Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had prevailed in Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. Freshened for this following her second in Navan's Listed Salsabil S. over a mile and a quarter Apr. 23, the 11-4 second favourite tracked the pace in a distant third early and worked her way to the lead two out before Sea Silk Road (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) emerged on her left. That 15-8 market-leader gained a slight advantage soon after, but as she veered away from Tom Marquand's whip Magical Lagoon reached into her reserves for Shane Foley and ultimately outstayed her chief rival in the last 50 yards. At the line, there was half a length between the race's two most progressive fillies, with 2 3/4 lengths back to History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in third.
It was a first Royal winner for Foley, who said, “This filly responds really well for pressure. The day she won at the Curragh, she was the same. She really fights for you and digs deep. The pace was on and she wasn't travelling as nicely as I thought, but I was happy enough because this filly does not do a lot when she gets there. She stays very well and only goes through the motions.”
Sent off as favourite when introduced over a mile at Naas in August, Magical Lagoon was only fourth there but Harrington opted to pitch the bay into The Curragh's G3 Flame of Tara S. later that month and she duly obliged before finishing seventh behind Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October. Posting a respectable comeback effort in a decent renewal of the Salsabil, she had been kept back for this meeting and rewarded all that patience with a gritty performance to deny the Haggas filly at the venue at which her illustrious half-brother Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) dominated the 2013 King George.
“I always knew that if she got into a battle, she'd be really tough,” Harrington said. “She's a beautiful, powerful filly and she loves that quick ground. She's very easy to train–she has a lovely temperament and is very relaxed about life. The plan was to come here and then go to the Irish Oaks. She's a proper mile and a half filly.”
Haggas said of the runner-up, “She came to win and the other horse outstayed her, that was my take on the race. We thought she'd prefer the ground and she did. It didn't quite look like she is a real true stayer to me, but maybe the other horse is. The Yorkshire Oaks is quite a tough thing, so I don't think that will be on the agenda, maybe the Lyric Stakes at the track. The [G2] Prix de Malleret on July 14 might be possible.”
Magical Lagoon is the last known foal out of the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), whose claim to fame came in the producing of the aforementioned Novellist who also took the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and G1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club as well as this track's midsummer jewel. Her other black-type performers include the G3 Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe runner-up Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), while she is kin to the G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}). This is also the family of the G1 Preis der Diana heroine Novelle (Ger) (Northfields).
Thursday, Ascot, Britain
RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, £200,000, Ascot, 6-16, 3yo, f, 11f 211yT, 2:31.36, g/f.
1–MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Night Lagoon (Ger) (Broodmare Of The Year-Ger, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ger & GSW-Ger), by Lagunas (GB)
2nd Dam: Nenuphar (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Narola (Ger), by Nebos (Ger)
(305,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Yuesheng Zhang; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. £113,420. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 5-2-1-0, $193,580. *1/2 to Novellist (IRE) (Monsun (GER)), Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng, Fr, Ger & Ity, $1,873,588; Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), GSP-Ger; Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk), SP-Ger; and Nerud (Bernardini), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sea Silk Road (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Oriental Magic (Ger), by Doyen (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (190,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas. £43,000.
3–History (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Prize Exhibit (GB), by Showcasing (GB). (2,800,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £21,520.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.75, 1.88, 6.50.
Also Ran: Mukaddamah (GB), Life of Dreams (GB), Mystic Wells. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Magical Lagoon wins the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes for @Jessica_Racing, who was a TDN contributor. She is a daughter of Galileo. pic.twitter.com/TwAUlqMLbl
— TDN (@theTDN) June 16, 2022
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