ANOTHER CHAMPION FOR AIDAN
MAGICAL proved a class above her rivals with a decisive victory in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The filly trained by Aidan O’Brien (right) has spent much of her admirable career to date chasing the brilliant Enable at the top level – but after this two-anda-quarter-length success, she now has three Group One wins on her CV.
The 11-10 favourite had a dream passage, closest to the pace set by stablemate Hunting Horn and then producing far too much speed for those in behind once Ryan Moore committed in the straight. Two more from the O’Brien team chased her home, with Magic Wand second and Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck another head away in third – at
20-1 and 12-1 respectively. Japanese mare Deirdre was the unlucky horse in the race, trapped for racing room when the pace quickened and then staying on best to finish fourth. But there was no stopping Magical, who was a stylish winner as she took advantage of Enable’s absence for once, in the process earning herself quotes from Betfair of 6-1 from 14-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and 3-1 from 7-1 for the Breeders Cup Turf. Earlier, Mogul was a convincing winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.
O’Brien’s colt, a full brother to dual Group One-winning stablemate Japan, had a length and a quarter to spare from Sinawann at the line. Ryan Moore bided his time on the 1-2 favourite as Cormorant, another of O’Brien’s three runners in the seven-strong field, set the pace in this Group Two. Mogul produced telling acceleration to nose in front entering the final furlong and move clear. O’Brien said: “We were delighted with him. He was trapped a little bit wide today and there was a nice pace on so he learned plenty.”