A WAVE OF THE WAND
   Already successful eight times in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Aidan O’Brien produced the goods once again here as Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier’s Magician (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) dominated the Curragh Classic and led home Gale Force Ten (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for a stable one-two in the process. Sent off the 10-3 second favorite, the winner of the 10-furlong G3 Dee S. at Chester traveled easily in third under Joseph O’Brien and, after passing the long-time leader Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole, stretched clear to score by 3 1/2 lengths. John Magnier was on hand to run the rule over the performance. "He was impressive and is an improving horse," he said. "Being by Galileo, he should stay further, and there are all kinds of options. We’ve done crazy things before, so we could run him at Epsom."

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, €300,000, Curragh, 5-25, 3yo, c/f, 1mT, 1:36.81, gd/fm.
1–sMAGICIAN (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Absolutelyfabulous (Ire), by Mozart (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Windermere (Ire), by Lake Coniston (Ire)
3rd Dam: Brigid, by Irish River (Fr)
O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Absolutelyfabulous Syndicate; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Joseph O’Brien; €174,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, €226,535. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Gale Force Ten (GB), 126, c, 3, Oasis Dream (GB)--Ronaldsay (GB), by Kirkwall (GB). (£280,000 yrl '11 DONAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-S Tindall, D Ludlow & Stowell Hill Ltd; T-Aidan O’Brien; €60,000.
3--Trading Leather (Ire), 126, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)--Night Visit (GB), by Sinndar (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger; €30,000.
Margins: 3HF, 1HF, 1HF. Odds: 10-3, 7-1, 6-1.
Also Ran: Havana Gold (Ire), First Cornerstone (Ire), Flying the Flag (Ire), George Vancouver, Van Der Neer (GB), Fort Knox (GB), Ask Dad (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.
   One of O’Brien’s slow-burners at two, Magician took three starts to get off the mark, but when it came over this track and trip in October, it was delivered in impressive manner by 6 1/2 lengths. Unable to back up that performance when fading into last in the seven-furlong G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown 13 days later, he re-emerged at Chester a wildly contrasting proposition and won the Dee S. with authority to suggest that Epsom could be on the cards. Instead, connections headed back here for a drop in trip, and the bay showed why, traveling with consummate ease off the hard tempo set by Trading Leather. Moving smoothly to that rival with all others struggling behind, he employed his stamina from the furlong marker home and the contest was over bar the shouting. "He’s a very tough horse and tries very hard, stays well and handles fast ground," said winning jockey Joseph O’Brien. "He is improving every day and has loads of pace. I couldn’t say he wouldn’t get further than 10 furlongs either." Aidan O’Brien appeared to play down thoughts that he could run in the Derby afterwards. "We always thought he had a lot of class with the movement and the looks," he offered. "You have to have a lot of speed for Chester, and he was sailing and traveling like a dream for the first half of the race. He’s very exciting. The lads are very tactically astute and will decide where he goes, but I’d imagine we might wait a bit with him. We’ll see how the horse is." Van Der Neer (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) was sent off the 5-2 favorite, but never looked likely to replicate his third placing in Newmarket’s G1 2000 Guineas and trailed in eighth.

COLD MOVE EBF MARBLE HILL S.-Listed, €52,500, Curragh, 5-25, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.44, gd/fm.
1--#COACH HOUSE (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Oasis Dream (GB)
1st Dam: Lesson in Humility (Ire) (GSW-Ire, MSW & G1SP-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $418,640) by Mujadil
2nd Dam: Vanity (Ire), by Thatching (Ire)
3rd Dam: Penny Fan (GB), by Nomination (GB)
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lesson in Humility Syndicate; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Joseph O’Brien; €34,125. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €45,555.
2--Club Wexford (Ire), 129, c, 2, Lawman (Fr)--Masnada (Ire), by Erins Isle (Ire). O-D Bernie & Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger; €10,500.
3--Abbakova (Ire), 124, f, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)--Over Rating (GB), by Desert King (Ire). O-Dundalk Racing Club; B-T Jones; T-William McCreery; €5,250.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 4-6, 7-2, 16-1.
Also Ran: Fast in the Wind (Ire), Thrilled to Bits (Ire), Ain’t No Surprise (Ire). Scratched: Stubbs (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO, courtesy attheraces.com.
   Run down late by Fast In the Wind (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) on debut over this track and trip Apr. 7, Coach House was off the mark by 6 1/2 lengths over the same distance at Tipperary May 2 and justified market support to get Ballydoyle off to a flyer in the juvenile category. Tracking Abbakova's fast early tempo in third early under a patient Joseph O’Brien, the bay worked his way past Club Wexford and to the front with a furlong remaining and drew away for a decisive score. "We thought he was a nice horse and he has speed enough for five, so he has all the options open to him at Royal Ascot," Aidan O’Brien commented. "Joseph said he showed lots of speed and that he even got there a bit early on him. He’ll maybe get six or seven furlongs in time."

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CORRIDA-G2, €130,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-24, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 5/16mT, 2:21.16, vsf.
1--@GRACE LADY (FR), 126, f, 4, by Muhtathir (GB)
1st Dam: Parcelle de Sou (Fr), by Ajdayt
2nd Dam: Parcelle Coloree (Fr), by Comrade in Arms (GB)
3rd Dam: Kasumi (Fr), by No Lute (Fr)
O-Ecurie Victoria Dreams; B-Jean-Philippe Dubois; T-Tatiana Puitg; J-Gerald Mosse; €74,100. Lifetime Record: 13 starts, 3 wins, 8 places, €157,700. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Fate (Fr), 126, f, 4, Teofilo (Ire)--Specificity, by Alleged. O-Fair Salinia Ltd; B-NP Bloodstock Ltd; T-Alain de Royer-Dupre; €28,600.
3--Romantica (GB), 126, f, 4, Galileo (Ire)--Banks Hill (GB), by Danehill. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms; T-Andre Fabre; €13,650.
Margins: 3HF, SNK, NO. Odds: 10.30, 5.10, 2.70.
Also Ran: Sediciosa (Ire), Yellow and Green (GB), La Pomme d’Amour (GB), Pagera (Fr), Harem Lady (Fr), Fairly Fair (Fr), Victorinna (Fr).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for Equidia VIDEO.
   Previously trained by Michel Mace, Grace Lady had a steadily-progressive profile last term and was second on her black-type debut in this venue’s Listed Prix Coronation in September. Third in the Listed Prix Casimir Delamarre over another furlong the following month, the bay returned for the little-known Tatiana Puitg stable to annexe the Listed Prix Jacques Laffitte also over nine furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 4 and had run into traffic when just over three lengths ninth in the G3 Prix Allez France over 10 furlongs at Chantilly last time Apr. 29. Settled in rear early by Gerald Mosse, she was the most animated to emerge from the bunch as the field fanned across the track at the top of the stretch. Striking the front approaching the furlong pole, she drew away from the blanket in behind, from which Fate emerged as her closer pursuant. "Last time in the Allez France, she was quite unlucky and would have finished in the frame with a clear run," the owners’ Racing Manager Laurent Benoit said. "She loves very soft ground and that really helped today. Now, there is not much left in France in the program so we will have to wait and see where we go next."

4th-CDX, $42,340, Msw, 2yo, 5f, :58 3/5, ft.
+SOUTHERN BLESSING (c, 2, Dixie Union--Yolie's Choice, by Silver Deputy) backed as the even-money favorite in his debut here, was last of five early, but steadily improved his position down the backstretch. The dark bay tipped out about four wide entering the lane and continued to rally down the stretch to take the late lead and finish a length ahead of Pontos (Tale of the Cat) under urging. Southern Blessing becomes his conditioner’s fifth 2-year-old winner of the meet. Sales history: $90,000 yrl '12 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo ‘13 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $27,000. Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO.
O-Mike McCarty. B-Coast Stables LLC (KY). T-Steven M Asmussen.