Magical (foaled 18 May 2015) is an Irish Thoroughbred 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 as well as running fourth in both the Prix Marcel Boussac and the Fillies' Mile. 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 and was narrowly beaten in the Breeders' Cup Turf. In 2019 she won the Alleged Stakes, Mooresbridge Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup, Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes as well as finishing second in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks. 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, Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf and Hong Kong Cup.
Background
Magical is a bay filly with a large white star and a white sock on her right hind leg bred in Ireland by Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt, breeding companies associated with the Coolmore Stud organisation. The filly was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. 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 and Susan Magnier.
She was sired by Galileo, who won the Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 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, Nathaniel, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, Found Minding and Ruler of the World. Magical's dam Halfway to Heaven was one of the best European fillies of her generation, winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes in 2008. As a broodmare she has produced other winners including Rhododendron. Halfway to Heaven's dam, Cassandra Go was a top class sprinter, whose wins included the King George Stakes, Temple Stakes and King's Stand Stakes and was a descendant of the Kentucky Oaks winner Native Street.
Racing career
2017: two-year-old season
Magical began her racing career by finishing second to the Jim Bolger-trained Dawn Delivers in a maiden race over six furlongs at the Curragh on 16 July. On 8 August at Cork Racecourse she started 2/5 favourite for a one-mile maiden in which she was ridden by her trainer's son 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 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) 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 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... [he] gave 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 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 over 1600 metres in which she produced a strong late run but finished fourth behind Wild Illusion, Polydream and Mission Impassible. Twelve days after her run in France, the filly started 15/8 favourite for the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket Racecourse but tired in the final furlong and came home fourth behind Laurens.