JESS MAGICAL!
Harrington’s filly sticks to guns in Irish Oaks thriller
Magical Lagoon was just spellbinding for Jessica Harrington in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
The filly oozed class when landing the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and she was a 5/4 jolly to cash in on the absence of hot ante-post favourite Emily Upjohn in the Classic.
The three-year-old tracked the front-running Show Of Stars for most of the 1m 4f showpiece before being sent into the lead two furlongs out by a confident Shane Foley.
The star looked set for an easy victory only to face a dangerous challenge from the fast-finishing Toy (5/1) in the closing stages.
However, daughter of Galileo responded superbly, keeping on gamely to score by a half-length with Cairde Go Deo (6/1) third.
Harrington said: “She is such a game filly, she always just does enough and she is a wonderful filly to train for Zhang Yuesheng.
“During the race I was very concerned about what was behind us. I knew she would keep finding like she did at Ascot, although they did not go as quickly here as they did that day.
“She is in the Yorkshire Oaks and we will see from there.”
Magical Lagoon remains a 6-1 chance with most bookmakers for the Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire in a month’s time.
Little Big Bear (2/5 Fav) stayed f irmly on the rise for Aidan O’Brien in the Anglesey Stakes.
The juvenile was expected to relish stepping up to six furlongs in the Group 3 after hosing up in the best renewal of the Windsor Castle for years at Royal Ascot.
And he didn’t disappoint his many supporters, once again showing a blistering turn of foot to rout chief victim Yosemite Valley (9/1) by five lengths under Ryan Moore.