Lagoon makes a splash
HARRINGTON SAYS MAGICAL ‘REFUSES TO BE BEATEN’ AS STAR DIGS DEEP IN IRISH OAKS
MAGICAL LAGOON raised a toast to absent friends as she fought to a tenacious victory in the Juddmonte
Irish Oaks at The Curragh.
The winner of last month’s Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot was 4/1 third-best at the start of the week in the betting for this fillies’ Classic – which was widely billed as a rematch between Cazoo Oaks first and second, Tuesday and Emily Upjohn.
But Tuesday did not appear among the final declarations on Thursday morning, and Emily Upjohn was dramatically scratched on Friday after a bird strike prevented John Gosden’s filly from taking her scheduled flight to Ireland.
Magical Lagoon (left with Foley) hardened to 5/4 market leader to give Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Jessica Harrington a second Classic triumph – and answered jockey Shane Foley’s every call in the final two furlongs to contain the challenge of Tuesday’s Aidan O’brien-saddled stablemate Toy and Ryan Moore by half a length.
“It’s fantastic to win a Group 1, and to win a Classic is even better,” said Harrington, an Irish 1,000 Guineas victor with Alpha Centauri four years ago.
“We weren’t really worried what turned up against us, and then of course the pressure came on when Emily Upjohn came out, which was very sad for John Gosden and the connections.
“It would have made a real race of it, but she won, and that was the main object!
“She just doesn’t take defeat. She is very laid back in her races, but she just keeps finding and finding.”
Harrington, who will now prepare Magical Lagoon for the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on August 18 – Paddy Power offer 6/1 about her chances – expects this Galileo daughter to scale even greater heights when she runs as a four-year-old in 2023.
“We rather hope that she will be around next season,” she added. “She’s very lightly raced – she only had three runs last year and she’s only had three runs this year
– so it’s not as if we’ve been dipping in the well a lot.”
Foley, whose other Classic win was with Jet Setting in the 2016 Irish 1,000 Guineas, added: “I had to make my own way home from the two, Ryan was obviously waiting to deliver his challenge, but, as soon as he did, my one stuck her neck out.
“She’s very straightforward, loves her work and loves a battle.”
At Newbury, Hollie Doyle made all the running on Eddie’s Boy to capture the £98,340 winner’s pot for the Weatherbys Super Sprint.
Carrying the colours of the prolific Middleham Park Racing syndicate, the Archie Watson-trained grey, a gallant third in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, had two and a quarter lengths to spare over 80/1 outsider, Woolhampton.
Eddies’ Boy was cut to 20/1 from 40/1 for the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 19 and Watson – whose Doyle-partnered Bradsell landed Ascot’s Coventry Stakes – said: “We might just leave him in.
“I thought a quick five here with plenty of room would suit him ideally. She kept him in the belly a long way down – he responded and was very tough.”