Another For Ballydoyle as Galileo's Magic Wand Takes the Ribblesdale

Magic Wand | Racing Post

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Having beaten Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with a degree of ease in the May 9 Listed Cheshire Oaks, Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the pick of Ryan Moore in the June 1 G1 Epsom Oaks before trailing that stablemate by 11 lengths in fourth. Back on Royal Ascot's summer surface, she was clear best in the G2 Ribblesdale S. to provide Ballydoyle and Ryan Moore with a third winner for the week. Always happy in second tracking Highgarden (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), the 10-3 shot was sent past that rival and to the lead at the top of the straight and powered to a four-length-success from the 9-4 favourite Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Sun Maiden (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 1 1/2 lengths back in third. “We did feel the [rain-softened] ground was a factor at Epsom and we were hoping she would be back to the filly she was at Chester on good ground here,” Aidan O'Brien commented. “Forever Together might go to the [G1] Pretty Polly [S. at The Curragh July 1] and this filly could maybe go to the [G1] Irish Oaks [at The Curragh July 21] and then maybe they both might head for the Arc or something like that.”

Jumping from a Leopardstown maiden third on her return Apr. 16 to the Cheshire Oaks, Magic Wand who is a €1.4million half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) grew several feet in stature there when making all as Forever Together gave off her own signals with an eye-catching effort in behind. When the ground turned against her at Epsom, she was not given a hard time by Moore and like the stable's colts Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was able to rebound from a Classic almost looking as if she had been freshened up by it. Charlie Appleby was yet again having to settle for second to a Ballydoyle runner with TDN Rising Star Wild Illusion, but was making no excuses. “A lot of people are going to ask about the ground, but William [Buick] said the ground was no issue and that she lowered into it,” he said. “As at Epsom he said 'I just wonder if she would be better coming back in trip'. She's a great traveller in races, and looking at what we've got to campaign against for the rest of the season it might be better to accept we've been beaten twice over a mile and a half and it's time to look at going a mile and a quarter.”

Another TDN Rising Star Sun Maiden covered herself in glory by sticking on for third after just a Salisbury maiden win and trainer Sir Michael Stoute is looking to the future. “This is the first race she has had really,” he said. “She went to Wolverhampton and stood up when the stalls opened, even though we had given her plenty of schooling because she is slow learning. At Salisbury it wasn't competitive and she didn't learn much. It was difficult for her today because she was drawn ten. I think she has acquitted herself really well. She has a lot of scope and a lot of strengthening up to do, but she has a good mind.”

Magic Wand's half-sister Chicquita had her quirks, but she also possessed an abundance of class which she first demonstrated on the track when second to Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the G1 Prix de Diane. Bought out of the Paul Makin dispersal by Coolmore for €6million at the Goffs November Sale, their listed-winning dam is a half to another daughter of Montjeu in the G3 Prix de Lutece winner and G2 Prix Chaudenay third Pacifique (Ire). The second dam Platonic (GB) (Zafonic) is related to this stable's G1 English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and her full-brother Masterofthehorse (Ire) who was third to Sea the Stars (Ire) in the 2009 G1 Epsom Derby. This is also the family of the G1 Irish Derby runner-up Golden Sword (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and his full-brother Rekindling (GB) who is the reigning G1 Melbourne Cup title-holder. Prudenzia's 2016 filly also by Galileo was bought for €950,000 by Mayfair Speculators, Peter and Ross Doyle and M V Magnier like her full-sister at Arqana August, while she also has a yearling colt by Muhaarar (GB).

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, £200,000, Ascot, 6-21, 3yo, f, 11f 211yT, 2:28.52, g/f.
1–MAGIC WAND (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Prudenzia (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Platonic (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Puce (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. (€1,400,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Skymarc Farm Inc (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-1, $244,449. *1/2 to Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 11-14f, G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng & Fr, $859,094. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Wild Illusion (GB), 129, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Rumh (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £43,000.
3–Sun Maiden (GB), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–Midsummer (GB), by Kingmambo. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £21,520.
Margins: 4, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.30, 2.25, 3.00.
Also Ran: Athena (Ire), Perfect Clarity (GB), Highgarden (GB), Lady of Shalott (GB), Sarrocchi (Ire), Dancing Brave Bear, Sizzling (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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