By Sean Cronin
Zhang Yuesheng's 2-year-old filly Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who crossed the line first in a June 28 Dundalk barrier trial, shaped with promise on the front end when fourth to Albula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) contesting an Aug. 2 one-mile maiden at Naas in her only official start and the Jessica Harrington trainee exacted revenge on that reopposing rival by swooping late for a career high in Friday's G3 Manguard Plus Irish EBF Flame of Tara S. over the same trip at The Curragh. The 9-2 chance made an alert exit from the inside stall and raced in a handy fourth through modest early fractions set by Kiss You Later (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Shuffled back to fifth and under pressure with three furlongs remaining, she regained fourth spot entering the final furlong and kept on relentlessly under a continued drive to deny 4-5 favourite Albula by 3/4-of-a-length in the dying strides. Curragh maiden winner She's Trouble (Ire) (Fracas {Ire}) kept on well to finish best of the remainder, two lengths further adrift in third.
“She was just a bit clueless the last day [at Naas], she needed the mile and stayed on very strongly,” said Jessica Harrington. “She was good today and will probably have just one more run this year. She's in the [Oct. 8 G1] Fillies' Mile [at Newmarket] and might just go for that. She's a lovely filly, she's going to be a mile-and-a-half filly next year and I'm delighted for Mr Zhang, who now has a Group-winning 2-year-old this year.”
Magical Lagoon, the latest of 13 foals, becomes the fifth black-type performer produced by G3 Preis der Winterkonigin victrix Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), herself a half-sister to MSW G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and one of three black-type performers out of Listed Dusseldorf-Preis winner Nenuphar (Ire) (Night Shift). Thus, the April-foaled bay is a half-sister to MG1SW G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), German Group 3 second Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Listed Derby-Trial second Nerud (Bernardini) and the stakes-placed Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk). Ninfea is the dam of last term's G2 Prix Chaudenay runner-up Nemean Lion (Ger) (Golden Horn {GB}) and the stakes-placed Nayala (GB) (Maxios {GB}).
Friday, Curragh, Ireland
MANGUARD PLUS IRISH EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND FLAME OF TARA S.-G3, €65,000, Curragh, 8-27, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:41.69, gd.
1–MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE), 128, f, 2, 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)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (305,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Zhang Yuesheng; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €39,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $46,568. *1/2 to Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. Older Horse at 4-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ity 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: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Albula (Ire), 128, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Dawn Wall (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, D L O'Byrne & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore, Flaxman Stables & Arkle Bloodstock (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €13,000.
3–She's Trouble (Ire), 128, f, 2, Fracas (Ire)–Take Flight (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Mrs Marguerite Joyce & Mrs J S Bolger; B-Mrs Marguerite Joyce (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €6,500.
Margins: 3/4, 2, HD. Odds: 4.50, 0.80, 11.00.
Also Ran: Lullaby (Ire), Kiss You Later (Ire), Pink Fire Lilly (Ire), Gradulations (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
