Magical wins the Fillies & Mares
Magical wins the Fillies & Mares

Magical result for O'Brien | QIPCO British Champions Day report


Magical won the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot for Ryan Moore as the John Gosden hotpot bubble was burst on Champions Day.

After Stradivarius won the opener for Gosden the big four-timer was on, but bookmakers collectively breathed a sigh of relief as evens favourite Lah Ti Dar fluffed her lines in the Fillies & Mares.

Frankie Dettori had a wide trip aboard the favourite and she raced a bit keenly in the early stages, but the pair took up the running in the home straight to the roar of the crowd.

However, Aidan O'Brien's Magical was always travelling nicely in her slipstream and Moore angled her out for a challenge approaching the final furlong where she swept past Lah Ti Dar to take the lead.

Coronet emerged from the pack as the main danger, but Gosden's second string had no answer as Moore kept Magical up to her work, the Galileo filly winning by a length.

Coronet did finished second ahead of stablemate Lah Ti Dar, the trio three-and-a-half lengths clear of the rest.

O'Brien said: "She ran a lovely race in the Arc, and we really fancied her for the Oaks last year - (but) she had a little setback and didn't get to run.

"Wayne (Lordan) rode her in the Arc and he loved her. Wayne came in after the Arc and he was brilliant, he said there was no doubt this filly does get a mile and a half as that was her first time over a mile and a half and that is why we came back here.

"She was working lovely - and we're really, really delighted.

"We were always going to take our time with her (in the race), and she had a lovely position and relaxed. So I couldn't have been happier.

"That is her first Group One. We thought she might handle ease in the ground as she had form with ease in the ground as a two-year-old.


*Ben Linfoot tipped up Magical at 15/2 in his Value Bet column - out every Friday at 5pm.


Asked about a trip to the Breeders' Cup, the Ballydoyle trainer said: "It's possible. Obviously, the lads will decide what they want to do - like they always do.

"We see how they come out of races, then we suggest a plan we think might suit - then the lads will make the decision themselves.

"She is very valuable and as she had an injury we want to make sure she is OK if she was to go to America."

Gosden said: "Coronet ran a blinder. She was forced wide from the draw, but she got a clear run. Full marks to the winner, though.

"Lah Ti Dar ran a super race, but as you see by the size of her she is still rather unfurnished and is a work in progress. She is next year's filly.

"She ran great and just showed a bit of weakness in this ground over the last furlong. They both run fabulous races.

"Coronet will go to the Lydia Tesio in Rome if she is in good order, that's the plan. The other filly, we will just wait until next year until she is bigger and stronger."

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