Magical (horse)
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Magical (foaled 18 May 2015) is an Irish
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorse who excelled over middle distances and was rated in the top twenty racehorses in the world in 2018 and 2019. She showed considerable ability as a juvenile in 2017, winning the Debutante Stakes and finishing second in the
Moyglare Stud Stakes The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled ...
as well as running fourth in both the
Prix Marcel Boussac The Prix Marcel Boussac is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is sche ...
and the
Fillies' Mile The Fillies' Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is sche ...
. In the following year she won the Kilboy Estate Stakes but did not produce her best form until autumn when she took the
British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes The British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile 3  f ...
and was narrowly beaten in the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
. In 2019 she won the Alleged Stakes,
Mooresbridge Stakes The Mooresbridge Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres) at the Curragh in ...
,
Tattersalls Gold Cup The Tattersalls Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 110 yards (2,112 ...
,
Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,01 ...
and
Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...
as well as finishing second in the
Prince of Wales's Stakes The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 met ...
,
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...
and
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 ...
. As a five-year-old she was as good as ever, winning the Pretty Polly Stakes and recording repeat victories in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Stakes as well as being placed in the
International Stakes The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards (2, ...
, Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf and
Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres (about miles or 10 furlongs) at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year ...
.


Background

Magical is a bay filly with a large white
star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...
and a white sock on her right hind leg bred in Ireland by Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt, breeding companies associated with the
Coolmore Stud Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland, is headquarters of the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. Through its racing arm, Ballydoyle, Coolmore also has raced many classic winners and champions. The operat ...
organisation. The filly was sent into training with
Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...
at
Ballydoyle Ballydoyle is a racehorse training facility located in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is a sister thoroughbred facility to Coolmore Stud, and both are owned by John Magnier, son in law to the racehorse trainer Vincent O'Brien. The current train ...
. Like many Coolmore horses, the official details of her ownership have changed from race to race: she has sometimes been listed as being the property of Derrick Smith, while on other occasions she has been described as being owned by a partnership of Smith,
Michael Tabor Michael Barry Tabor (born 28 October 1941) is a British businessman, bookmaker, gambler and owner of thoroughbred racehorses. Tabor regularly appears on the ''Sunday Times Rich List'' of the richest people in Britain. In 2012 his fortune w ...
and Susan Magnier. She was sired by
Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He was ...
, who won the
Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
,
Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance ...
and
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...
in 2001. Galileo is now one of the world's leading stallions and has been champion sire of Great Britain and Ireland five times. His other progeny include
Frankel Frankel is the surname of: * Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973), British composer * Bethenny Frankel (born 1970), American chef and reality television personality * Charles Frankel (1917–1975), American philosopher, known for Charles Frankel Prize ...
,
Nathaniel , nickname = {{Plainlist, * Nat * Nate , footnotes = Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Greek name Nathanael. People with the name Nathaniel * Nathaniel Archibald (1952–2018), American basketball player * Nate A ...
,
New Approach New Approach (foaled 18 February 2005) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion. In a racing career which lasted from July 2007 to October 2008 he ran eleven times and won eight races. He was undefeated in five races as a tw ...
,
Rip Van Winkle "Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving, first published in 1819. It follows a Dutch-American villager in colonial America named Rip Van Winkle who meets mysterious Dutchmen, imbibes their liquor and falls aslee ...
, Found Minding and
Ruler of the World Ruler of the World (foaled 17 March 2010) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won The Derby in 2013. He was unraced as a two-year-old. In 2013, he won a maiden race at the Curragh and the Group Three Chester Vase before winning the Derby ...
. Magical's dam Halfway to Heaven was one of the best European fillies of her generation, winning the
Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled ...
,
Nassau Stakes The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong ...
and Sun Chariot Stakes in 2008. As a broodmare she has produced other winners including
Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...
. Halfway to Heaven's dam,
Cassandra Go Cassandra Go (2 April 1996 – 23 June 2021) was a grey Thoroughbred mare from Indian Ridge, out of the mare Rahaam by Secreto. She was a retired racehorse, who was previously a top-class sprinter. Racing career Cassandra Go's wins consisted ...
was a top class sprinter, whose wins included the
King George Stakes The King George Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is ...
,
Temple Stakes The Temple Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...
and
King's Stand Stakes The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...
and was a descendant of the
Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday ...
winner Native Street.


Racing career


2017: two-year-old season

Magical began her racing career by finishing second to the
Jim Bolger James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was born to an Irish immigrant family in Ōpunake, Taran ...
-trained Dawn Delivers in a
maiden race In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the se ...
over six
furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...
at the
Curragh The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...
on 16 July. On 8 August at
Cork Racecourse Cork Racecourse, also known as Cork Racecourse Mallow, is a horse racing venue at Mallow, County Cork, Ireland which stages both National Hunt racing and Flat racing. It is located 35 km north of Cork and 64 km from Limerick The cou ...
she started 2/5 favourite for a one-mile maiden in which she was ridden by her trainer's son
Donnacha O'Brien Donnacha O'Brien (born 22 July 1998) is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey who competed in Flat racing. O'Brien is the son of multiple champion trainer Aidan O'Brien and brother of jockey and trainer Joseph O'Brien. Donnacha O'Brien ...
. She recorded her first success as she took the lead inside the final furlong and won by a head from the 25/1 outsider Mary Tudor. Twelve days later the filly was stepped up in class for the
Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification * Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962 * Group 2 (racing), an FIA classification for cars in ...
Debutante Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh and started the 11/1 third choice in the betting behind her stablemates September (winner of the
Chesham Stakes The Chesham Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take plac ...
) and Happily in an eight-runner field which also included Dawn Delivers and Mary Tudor. Ridden by Donnacha O'Brien she led from the start and kept on well to win "comfortably" by one and a quarter
lengths Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Intern ...
from Happily. After the race Aidan O'Brien said "She had a lovely run the first day and she was a bit green at Cork and made hard work of it. Donnacha was delighted with her... egave her a lovely ride and had her in a good position throughout the race. She stays well and should get well beyond a mile next year". On 10 September at the Curragh Magical was moved up Group 1
Moyglare Stud Stakes The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled ...
in which she was partnered by Ryan Moore and started second favourite behind Alpha Centauri. She led for most of the way but was caught on the line and beaten a short head by Happily, with the pair finishing almost four lengths clear of September in third. Three weeks later she was sent to France for the
Prix Marcel Boussac The Prix Marcel Boussac is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is sche ...
over 1600 metres in which she produced a strong late run but finished fourth behind
Wild Illusion Wild Illusion (foaled 18 February 2015) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. She was the highest-rated horse of her age and sex trained in Britain in 2017 when she won two of her three races including the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. In the fol ...
, Polydream and Mission Impassible. Twelve days after her run in France, the filly started 15/8 favourite for the
Fillies' Mile The Fillies' Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is sche ...
at
Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...
but tired in the final furlong and came home fourth behind Laurens.


2018: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut Magical was equipped with blinkers when she contested the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte on heavy ground at Longchamp on 15 April and came home fourth of the eight runners behind Musis Amica after racing in second for most of the way. Plans to tun her in the
Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards ...
on 1 June were abandoned two days before the race when she failed to recover from a minor leg injury. The filly had been the course for over three months when she returned for the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes over nine furlongs at the Curragh on 22 July in which he started the 5/4 favourite. Ridden by Moore, she led from the start and drew away in the last quarter mile to win "comfortably" by two and three quarter lengths from I'm So Fancy. Aidan O'Brien commented "This was a nice start back for her and hopefully she's OK. She's a lovely filly, how far she'll stay, I'm not sure. We'll see how she is... The whole rest of the season is in front of her." After another lengthy break, Magical reappeared for the Group 1 Matron Stakes over one mile at
Leopardstown Racecourse Leopardstown Racecourse is an Ireland, Irish horse-racing venue, located in Leopardstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, 8 km south of the Dublin city centre. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Th ...
on 15 September. She raced in second place for most of the way but lost her position when she was hampered in the straight and came home fourth behind Laurens, Alpha Centauri and Clemmie. The filly was then stepped up in distance and matched against the strongest
weight-for-age {{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. History The principle of WFA was developed by Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English Jockey Club. Rous ...
competition when she contested the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...
over 2400 metres at Longchamp on 7 October. Starting a 40/1 outsider she made steady progress in the straight without ever looking likely to win and finished tenth, five and a quarter lengths behind the winner Enable. Thirteen days after her run in the Arc, the filly was back on the track for the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes over one and a half miles at
Ascot Racecourse Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...
. With Moore in the saddle she started the 5/1 second favourite behind Lah Ti Dar (runner-up in the
St Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...
) in an eleven-runner field which also included
Hydrangea ''Hydrangea'', () commonly named the hortensia, is a genus of over 75 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Korea, and Japan. Most are shrubs tall, ...
, Kitesurf (
Prix Vermeille The Prix Vermeille is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), a ...
) and Coronet (
Ribblesdale Stakes The Ribblesdale Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and it i ...
). After racing in fifth place, Magical moved up to take the lead approaching the final furlong and kept on well to win by a length from Coronet with Lah Ti Dar three quarters of a length back in third. O'Brien said "She was working lovely – and we're really, really delighted. We were always going to take our time with her, and she had a lovely position and relaxed. So I couldn't have been happier... She is very valuable." On her final run of the season, Magical was sent to the United States for the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
at
Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...
on 3 November in which she was ridden by Moore. She raced in mid-division before moving up to dispute the lead on the final turn. The closing stages saw a sustained struggle between Magical and the favourite Enable with the two fillies drawing right away from the field before Enable prevailed by three quarters of a length. There was a gap of nine lengths back to Sadler's Joy in third place. In the 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Magical was given a rating of 122, making her the 20th best racehorse in the world and the third best three-year-old filly behind
Almond Eye Almond Eye (Japanese アーモンドアイ, foaled 10 March 2015) is a champion Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown in 2018, and holds a world record over 2,400 meters on turf. She is also a two-time winn ...
and Alpha Centauri.


2019: four-year-old season


Spring

Magical began her third campaign in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes over 10 furlongs at
Naas Racecourse Naas Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland, approximately 18 miles from Dublin. The course stages both Flat racing and National Hunt racing and in 2010 fifteen race meetings were held there. The Naas Races Company ...
on 13 April and started favourite ahead of seven opponents including the
Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance ...
winner Latrobe and the
Irish St. Leger The Irish St Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it i ...
winner Flag of Honour (also trained by O'Brien). The filly was settled in fourth place by Moore before going to the front a furlong out and drawing away to win by four and a half lengths from Flag of Honour. On 6 May Magical faced Flag of Honour and Latrobe again in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh. Starting the 2.9/1 she took the lead approaching the final furlong and won "comfortably" from Flag of Honour, beating her stablemate by a length and a half. Twenty days later the filly returned to Group 1 company and started 2/7 favourite for the
Tattersalls Gold Cup The Tattersalls Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 110 yards (2,112 ...
against four opponents, namely Flag of Honour, Verbal Dexterity (
National Stakes The Vincent O'Brien National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metr ...
), Mustajeer ( Finale Stakes) and Zihba (
Amethyst Stakes The Amethyst Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Leopardstown in Ma ...
). After racing in second place she went to the front in the last quarter mile and won "easily" by seven lengths, with Flag of Honour taking second place yet again. After the race O'Brien commented: "We are delighted to have her as a four-year-old. She's a big, powerful mare that is full of quality, with great strength and a super mind. She had done enough last year to go off to stud, so it's a great credit to all the lads to keep her in training".


Summer

On 19 June Magical started favourite ahead of Crystal Ocean for the
Prince of Wales's Stakes The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 met ...
at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...
in an eight-runner field. The race was run in challenging conditions in heavy rain on soft ground. After racing in third place for most of the way the filly stayed on strongly in the straight but was unable to peg back Crystal Ocean and was beaten one and a quarter lengths into second place. The
Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...
over ten furlongs at
Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse rac ...
on 6 July saw Magical face a rematch with her Breeders' Cup conqueror Enable. She raced in third place before keeping on well but was unable to overhaul the British mare and finished second by three quarters of a length. The filly faced Enable yet again in the
Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 ...
in August and was again bested by the British mare, beaten two and three quarter lengths into second place.


Autumn

In the
Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,01 ...
at Leopardstown on 14 September Magical started the 11/10 favourite against seven opponents including
Anthony Van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy. The seventh c ...
,
Deirdre Deirdre ( , Irish: ; sga, Derdriu ) is the foremost tragic heroine in Irish legend and probably its best-known figure in modern times. She is known by the epithet "Deirdre of the Sorrows" (). Her story is part of the Ulster Cycle, the best-know ...
and Madhmoon (runner-up in the
Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...
). After tracking the pacemaker Hunting Horn, Magical took the lead two furlongs out, opened up a clear advantage and won by two and a quarter lengths from her stablemate Magic Wand. O'Brien commented "We're delighted. She had a midsummer break and had her first run back in York. We knew there when she ran Enable to a couple of lengths, knowing that she was going to come forward for it, that she was going to be in good shape for today." At Longchamp on 6 October Magical went off at odds of 19/1 in her second attempt to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in which she was ridden by Donnacha O'Brien. She took the lead 500 metres from the finish but tired in the closing stages and came home fifth behind
Waldgeist Waldgeist (foaled 17 February 2014) is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two- ...
, Enable, Sottsass and
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. In the
Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...
over ten furlongs at Newmarket thirteen days later Magical was partnered by Donnacha O'Brien and went off favourite in a nine-runner field which also included
Coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara doe ...
, Addeybb and Deirdre. She raced in second place behind Regal Reality before taking the lead approaching the final furlong and held off the sustained challenge of Addeybb to win by three quarters of a length. After the race Aidan O'Brien called her the "ultimate racehorse" adding "She's totally sound, mentally and physically... She handles ease in the ground, she goes on fast ground... She accepts everything on the chin and says what do you want me to do today? It's internally with her, it's her mind. She never says no". Magical was expected to end her racing career with a run in the
Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...
but the plan was abandoned when she was found to be running a high temperature shortly before her scheduled flight to the United States. In the 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Magical was given a rating of 122, making her the 19th best racehorse in the world and the second best four-year-old filly behind
Almond Eye Almond Eye (Japanese アーモンドアイ, foaled 10 March 2015) is a champion Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown in 2018, and holds a world record over 2,400 meters on turf. She is also a two-time winn ...
.


2020: five-year-old season


Summer

The 2020 flat racing season in Europe was disrupted by the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
pandemic and Magical did not appear on the track until 28 June when she started the 2/5 favourite for the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes over ten furlongs at the Curragh with the best of her four opponents appearing to be Fleeting (
May Hill Stakes The May Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...
) and Cayenne Pepper ( Flame of Tara Stakes). Ridden by
Seamie Heffernan James Anthony "Seamie" Heffernan (born 17 July 1972) is an Irish flat racing jockey who rides mainly for horse racing trainer Aidan O'Brien. From a family with no racing connections Heffernan was introduced to the sport when he took a summer ...
she led from the start in a race run in heavy rain and a "howling wind" and steadily drew away from her rivals in the straight to win "easily" by four and a half lengths. After the race O'Brien explained that the mare had been intended to be retired to become a broodmare at the end of the previous season. He commented "She got stronger over the winter, and that's why the lads brought her back... Something just happened with her over the winter. She transformed. Usually you see that sort of improvement from 3 to 4, but she made it from 4 to 5. The power really came into her body." The 2020 edition of the Tattersalls Gold Cup, originally scheduled for May, was run on 26 July at the Curragh and Magical, ridden by
Wayne Lordan Wayne Lordan is a multiple Group race winning Irish jockey. His first winner was Ethbaat for trainer Gerry Cully at Killarney on 15 July 1998. In his early career he was associated with the stables of David Wachman and Tommy Stack. He also ...
went off at odds of 2/9 in a six-runner field as she attempted to replicate her 2019 victory. She took the lead from the start, was never seriously challenged, and won "comfortably" coming home two and a quarter lengths clear of Sir Dragonet with Search For A Song a further two lengths back in third. O'Brien, who was quarantined at the time said "She is a great mare. The only reason she is here now is because of the progress she made over the winter, and she had progressed again from the Pretty Polly, so we are delighted the lads kept her in training." The mare entered the winner's enclosure to the sounds of
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
's
Girls Just Want to Have Fun "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song written, recorded and performed by American musician Robert Hazard, who released it as a single in 1979. It is best known for the version of American singer Cyndi Lauper, who covered the song in 1983. I ...
. At York in August Magical was ridden by Moore in the
International Stakes The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards (2, ...
over ten and a half furlongs at York where she started second favourite and kept on well in the straight and finished second behind the front-running
Ghaiyyath Ghaiyyath (foaled 19 April 2015) is an Irish-bred British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2020 European Horse of the Year after winning the Juddmonte International Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Coronation Cup, and Dubai Millenn ...
.


Autumn

Magical was partnered by Heffernan when she faced a rematch with Ghaiyyath on 12 September at Leopardstown as she attempted to repeat her win of the previous year in the Irish Champion Stakes. She started the 9/2 second favourite in a six-runner field which also included Sottsass, Japan, Armory ( Royal Whip Stakes) and Leo de Fury (2020 Mooresbridge Stakes). She raced in second place behind Ghaiyyath before joining the leader in the straight and got the better of a sustained struggle with her main rival to win by three quarters of a length. O'Brien said "We were delighted Ghaiyyath was coming because we were going to get another go at him. We just felt York didn't work 100% for us and today she eyeballed him all the way, so we're delighted. We were very happy to make the running today and if Ghaiyyath wanted to take a lead we'd be happy and if he made the running we were going to go with him. It was always going to be a solid even match all the way and whoever was behind could have come along and come and got us, but we just took the chance that we'd let her and him match up, go stride for stride and see." At Ascot on 17 October the mare ran for the second time in the Champion Stakes and started the 15/8 favourite in a ten-runner field. She was restrained by Moore in the early stages before staying on strongly in the straight but never looked likely to win and finished third behind Addeybb and the French challenger Skalleti. On 7 November at
Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...
Magical started favourite in her second attempt to win the Breeders' Cup Turf. She tracked the leaders and stayed on well in the closing stages and was beaten a length by Tarnawa after overhauling the front-running Channel Maker for second place in the final strides. On her final run of the year, Magical started favourite for the
Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres (about miles or 10 furlongs) at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year ...
at
Sha Tin Racecourse Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin District, Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club. Penfold Park is encircled by the track, and the Hon ...
in December and finished third in a closely contested finish, beaten three quarters of a length and a short head by the Japanese runners
Normcore Normcore is a unisex fashion trend characterized by unpretentious, average-looking clothing. Normcore fashion includes jeans, t-shirts, sweats, button-downs, and sneakers. History The word "normcore" first appeared in a 2008 guest strip by Ryan ...
and Win Bright. On 22 December, it was announced that Magical had been retired from racing. Aidan O'Brien said "She was unbelievably tough, versatile, consistent and classy. Her mother was always rated a queen and she was rated a queen herself when she was born... She was a dream mare to have, and most of the days she got beat, you could say that if things had happened differently she might not have. She never shirked anything." In the
2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2020 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities The Long ...
, Magical was rated on 122, making her the equal twenty-first best racehorse in the world.


Pedigree


References

{{Reflist


External links


Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart
– ''Magical'' 2015 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in Ireland Thoroughbred family 3-d