O’Brien set for Magical day with record in his sights

IT IS not surprising, given his domination of the juvenile scene, that Aidan O’Brien has a stranglehold on today’s bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. The Ballydoyle supremo saddles three horses — likely favourite Happily, the mount of Ryan Moore, MAGICAL (Newmarket, 3.35) and September. It is a formidable trio for O’Brien (below), who is just two short of Bobbie Frankel’s record of 25 Group One wins in a season. Happily probably deserves her position at the head of the market following a victory in the Group One Jean-Luc Lagardere at Chantilly on Arc day, a card on which Magical also featured in the Prix Marcel Boussac. Magical, who will be ridden by Donnacha O’Brien today, was fourth in the fillies’ juvenile feature but she recorded a quicker time than her stablemate. The score between the duo this season stands at one apiece and, as Magical was only beaten by a short head when they met at the Curragh, she is worth taking a chance on.