By Tom Frary
Backed as if defeat was unconsidered, the ever-reliable even-money favourite Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) justified the strong market support to add Ascot's G1 QIPCO Champion S. to her G1 Irish Champion S. victory on Saturday. Showing no ill-effects of her gruelling effort in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 13 days earlier, the bay coasted along in second with Donnacha O'Brien only committing with two furlongs remaining. As expected, she had to wage war as the soft-ground specialist Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) closed in soon after, but she was always the stronger of the pair and held on by 3/4 of a length, with Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) 2 1/4 lengths behind in third. “She's so genuine, tough and classy,” Aidan O'Brien said as he finally gained a first renewal of this prize. “It is incredible that she ran in the Arc two weeks ago, but she's an amazing filly and these Galileos don't know when to give up. Every day they pull out the same and never hold a grudge against anybody. These days are very important for Donnacha, as he won't be staying at it very long.”
It was at this meeting 12 months ago that Magical rose back to prominence, having looked an above-average juvenile when winning the G2 Debutante S. and finishing runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. After taking the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S., she encountered Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) for the first time in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs in November and was beaten just 3/4 of a length before returning to win three in succession culminating in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 26. Second to Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at the Royal meeting June 19, she took on Enable again in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 6 and was again 3/4 of a length behind before running her to 2 3/4 lengths in the Aug. 22 G1 Yorkshire Oaks.
Lesser horses would have been exhausted by her effort at Leopardstown Sept. 14 and an aggressive ride in the Arc where she enjoyed no peace before fading to fifth, but Magical is made of rare material. This looked straightforward on paper as long as she remained in prime condition after France and so it proved, with only Addeybb seriously threatening, albeit briefly, inside the final furlong. “We would love to keep her in training, but the lads will make a decision,” her trainer added. “They have to decide whether they want to go to the Breeders' Cup or not and that would be the next one if they decide they want to go. Found was an unbelievable mare and you can definitely compare them well. If she goes to the Breeders' Cup, she would go to the Filly & Mare Turf.”
William Haggas, trainer of Addeybb, was aware of the magnitude of trying to beat an in-form Magical and said, “Hats off to that filly. She's better than him. He has run a really good race today. He liked the conditions, it all went perfectly well, just three-quarters of a length not fast enough. I'm very proud of him.” Jockey James Doyle added, “It was a career-best, but she's tough. I thought I had her for a minute when I joined her, but we got into the red zone and she found reserves. He loves that ground and there is more fun to be had with him.”
Oisin Murphy said of Deirdre, who denied King Power's outsider Fox Tal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) a place in the frame on the line, “We saved ground all the way and she ran well, but the ground was too slow.” Seiko Hashida Yoshimura, racing manager for owner Toji Morita, added, “We might think of Hong Kong, but I'm not sure. We'll have to see how she is. As we have seen today, she is so fresh and so brave. We have enjoyed our visit. All our team love Britain and British racing. It is so special–every race. It has been unforgettable–a life-changing experience for everyone in the team. We may extend our journey to next year. Hopefully we can see her here again next year. We never ran against Enable, so we might see her. That would be another dream. Everyone has to be proud of her. It's amazing. This horse has opened the gate for everyone from Japan.”
It is testament to Magical's consistency at this level that her pedigree is now familiar territory, but her dam Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) is living up to her name as a broodmare and is arguably further on than her title suggests from Coolmore's point of view. The G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine has produced three pattern-race winners from her matings exclusively with Galileo including the triple group 1-winning Rhododendron (Ire). Halfway To Heaven is in turn the leading performer for the three-times group-winning Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who was also runner-up in the G1 July Cup.
Magical is reportedly stretched by a mile and a half, which is not a surprise given that Cassandra Go was at her most potent over five furlongs and also produced 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}). The latter went on to throw the GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) also by Galileo (Ire) and last year's G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never). Cassandra Go is kin to the G3 Coventry S. scorer and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and the listed scorer Persian Secret (Fr) (Persan Heights {GB}) whose descendants include last year's G1 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (GB) by Galileo's son Teofilo (Ire). Halfway To Heaven's twice raced 2-year-old filly Heaven of Heavens (Ire) has yet to place, while she also has a colt foal.
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO CHAMPION S. (BRITISH CHAMPIONS MIDDLE DISTANCE)-G1, £1,358,750, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.42, sf.
1–MAGICAL (IRE), 128, 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-Donnacha O'Brien. £770,547. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, MG1SW-Ire & GISP-US, 21-9-6-0, $4,321,653. *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–Addeybb (Ire), 131, g, 5, Pivotal (GB)–Bush Cat, by Kingmambo. (200,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-William Haggas. £292,131.
3–Deirdre (Jpn), 128, m, 5, Harbinger (GB)–Reizend (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). (¥21,000,000 Ylg '15 JRASAL). O-Toji Morita; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-Mitsuru Hashida. £146,202.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, HD. Odds: 1.00, 5.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Fox Tal (GB), Mehdaayih (GB), Coronet (GB), I Can Fly (GB), Regal Reality (GB), Pondus (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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