Irish Champion Success For Magical

Leopardstown's G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. proved one for the fillies on Saturday, as Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) led home stablemate Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with the Japanese mare Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) an unlucky fourth. After three gallant second placings to Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales's S., G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks, Ballydoyle's female lead was heavily backed into 11-10 favouritism and the confidence proved well-founded. Perfectly positioned in second early by Ryan Moore, she was asked her to seal victory passing two out and was too strong from there as she carved out a 2 1/4-length success, with Magic Wand denying Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a head for another stable one-two-three in a major prize. Deirdre, who was denied a run in the straight, finished strongly down the outer to be a half length further away. “She had really come forward from York. To come out and travel like that and quicken the way she did, she's a very exciting filly,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Ryan said she doesn't do much in front and she's really something to look forward to.”

Magical's winning exploits in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot last October and the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 26 are significant, but it is perhaps her efforts in defeat against Enable that she has truly shone. There was only 3/4 of a length between them in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs in November and in the July 6 Eclipse and despite there being a more comprehensive 2 3/4-length margin separating them in the Aug. 22 Yorkshire Oaks last time there was a brief spell in the straight when she looked to be coming to shake up her arch-rival. Aidan O'Brien always leaves plenty to work on with his horses coming back from a break and with normal improvement Magical was always going to prove a tough nut to crack back on home soil.

Provided with the vital target by Emmet McNamara on Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Ryan Moore was content to wait and be in the position to strike first and when a live threat in TDN Rising Star Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) began to check out from two furlongs from home she was suddenly in a powerful place. Now that she is fully mature, the filly who had the precocity to win the G2 Debutante S. and finish runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. is one of the gamest in training and nothing was going to catch her in the run to the line. TDN Rising Star Headman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) had an attempt, but as trainer Roger Charlton believed could happen he failed to find the strength to enter battle while Deirdre became holed up at an important stage.

All roads lead to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a rematch with Juddmonte's prevalent force at ParisLongchamp Oct. 6. “She had a midsummer break, ran Enable to a couple of lengths at York and we knew she was going to come forward a good bit,” he said. “She was just ready to go to York. Obviously Enable is a great filly and when we saw her running that well against her we were looking forward to this race and the autumn after that. We knew she was going to be in real good shape for today and I couldn't have been happier with her. We know she gets the mile and a half and handles an ease in the ground, she was back to a mile and a quarter today on fast ground and Ryan gave her a lovely, uncomplicated ride. The plan was to go to the Arc from here, but usually what happens is we see how they come out of it, talk to the lads and they see if they stay on the programme or go a different way.”

O'Brien also refused to rule out the possibility of having Magical in his stable for 2020. “John, Michael and Derrick will decide what they want to do there. We'll try to get her to the end of the year safe and compete in the races that we can. To have her even at four is an absolute privilege. She's a very special filly and those fillies don't come along very often.” Of Magic Wand, he added, “She's a lovely filly as well. She can do the likes of Hong Kong and all those places. She loves fast ground and anywhere from a mile to a mile and a half. She's very versatile.”

Magical is a full-sister to the G1 Lockinge S., G1 Prix de l'Opera and G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Rhododendron (Ire), with the dam being the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). She in turn is out of the high-class Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who captured the King's Stand S. when it was a group 2 and also the G2 Temple S. and was runner-up in the G1 July Cup. Her other black-type winners are the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. scorer Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire) who was also responsible for the GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) by Galileo and last year's G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never).

Cassandra Go is kin to the G3 Coventry S. scorer, G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up and past sire of note Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and the listed-winning Persian Secret (Fr) (Persan Heights {GB}) whose descendants include last year's G1 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}). Halfway To Heaven also has the once-raced 2-year-old filly Heaven of Heavens (Ire) and a colt foal by Galileo.

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
QIPCO IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,250,000, Leopardstown, 9-14, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:06.49, gd.
1–MAGICAL (IRE), 130, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Halfway To Heaven (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, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €712,500. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng & GISP-US, 19-8-6-0, $3,164,568. *Full to Rhododendron (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, $1,786,763; and 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–Magic Wand (Ire), 130, f, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Prudenzia (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (€1,400,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Skymarc Farm Inc (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €250,000.
3–Anthony Van Dyck (Ire), 127, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Believe'n'succeed (Aus), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €125,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, HD, HF. Odds: 1.10, 20.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Deirdre (Jpn), Headman (GB), Madhmoon (Ire), Elarqam (GB), Hunting Horn (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.