Magic Lily (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), third in the G1 Fillies' Mile as a juvenile, made good on her early promise with a narrow victory over Team Valor International's Nisreen (Ire) (Raven's Pass) in the G2 Cape Verde at Meydan on Thursday. The Charlie Appleby runner bore the Godolphin blue silks in the one-mile contest under pilot James Doyle, who, along with Appleby, were winning their third Cape Verde. The 5-year-old completed the Cape Verde in a new stakes and track record-setting time of 1:34.84.
Sent straight to the head of affairs as the gates flew, Magic Lily was passed by fellow Godolphin runner Dubai Blue (More Than Ready) on the extreme outside and was relegated to second for the backstretch run. A touch headstrong as a result, she set her sights on that rival and began to make up ground heading into the lane. Nisreen got first jump on the tiring leader however, and drew first blood after dashing through a hole on the fence. The chestnut and Beyond Reason (Ire) (Australia {GB}) let down in tandem with the grey Peri Lina (Tur) (Falco) flying on the outside in the final 100 metres. Magic Lily outfooted Beyond Reason and drew away to engage Nisreen, before receiving a lucky bob to take the Group 2 feature by a short head from that foe. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to Beyond Reason, who was only a short head better than Peri Lina.
“I had my head down to ride and didn't think we'd got up [to win], but she's tough and very game,” said Doyle. “It didn't go entirely our way. The plan was to lead or if not be very close, which is what happened. When [Dubai Blue] went by me [on the backstretch], it sort of set her alight. She was over-racing a little bit. She'll definitely be better going another furlong. We think she's a nine or 10-furlong filly.”
A winner at first asking at Newmarket in September of 2017 and a solid third in the G1 Fillies' Mile that October, she returned off a 721-day injury-induced break to take second in the Listed Prix Dahlia at Saint-Cloud Oct. 4. Magic Lily signed off on her 4-year-old year with a tiring sixth in the Listed Gillies Fillies' S. at Lingfield on Nov. 16.
Pedigree Notes
Magic Lily is the 50th stakes winner and 33 group winner for her G1 Derby-winning sire who is based at Dalham Hall Stud under the Darley banner. A daughter of the English and German Oaks heroine Dancing Rain, the chestnut is also a full-sister to French listed winner and G1 Grand Prix de Paris third Jalmoud (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), while G1 English 2000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is under the second dam, being out of European champion juvenile filly Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Dancing Rain foaled Sakura Petal (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 2017 and she has a yearling colt by Galileo (Ire).
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
CAPE VERDI SPONSORED BY CREEK VIEWS-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 1-16, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:34.84 (NCR), gd.
1–MAGIC LILY (GB), 126, m, 5, by New Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Dancing Rain (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Rain Flower (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rose of Jericho, by Alleged
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. $150,000. Lifetime Record:
G1SP-Eng, SP-Fr, 5-2-1-1, $248,582. *Full to Jalmoud (GB)
(New Aproach {Ire}), SW & G1SP-Fr, $162,707. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*.
2–Nisreen (Ire), 126, m, 6, Raven's Pass–Badweia, by
Kingmambo. (32,000gns HRA '17 TATJUL). O-Team Valor
International; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (IRE);
T-Hiroo Shimizu. $50,000.
3–Beyond Reason (Ire), 126, f, 4, Australia (GB) –No Explaining
(Ire), by Azamour (Ire). (370,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT).
O-Godolphin; B-Paget Bloodstock (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby.
$25,000.
Margins: SHD, 2HF, SHD.
Also Ran: Peri Lina (Tur), Maamora (Ire), Hateya (Ire), Surrounding (Ire), Dubai Blue.
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.
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