Aussie G1 Success for Magic Wand

With Group I placings in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Irish Champion Stakes, Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opera, Pretty Polly Stakes, Arlington Million Stakes, Man o' War Stakes and a recent fourth in the MVRC WS Cox Plate, Galileo’s remarkable daughter Magic Wand (4m Galileo x Prudenzia, Dansili) was long overdue to win a Group I race and it came at last at Flemington on Saturday when she took out the $2million Group I VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).

Backing up from her tenth place finish in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, Magic Wand under Ryan Moore broke a few hearts when she eased past Godolphin’s retiring champion Hartnell in the straight before holding the challenge of the New Zealand Horse Of The Year Melody Belle to win by a length.

Aidan O’Brien’s stable representative TJ Comerford said the star mare would be kept in training next year.

“I told Aidan that she ate up well the morning after the Melbourne Cup because we had to nominate on the Wednesday, so Aidan said if she has eaten up and looks well let her run, so it wasn't unexpected,” he said.

“That was her third run (in Australia) now and that's the best ground she's been on here.

"I think after the Melbourne Cup there was plenty of life in her, she still had the gas.”

Ryan Moore said few were more deserving of a Group 1.

“She’s a wonderful mare who has been very unfortunate not to win a Group 1 before today,” Moore said.

“I think Galileo may have now broken the record for Group 1 winners, they are just so tough these horses.

“She’s run in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup and she’s come out again, all you can say she is a tough, courageous high-class mare.”

Previously a winner of the Group II Royal Ascot Ribblesdale Stakes and Listed Chester Cheshire Oaks, Magic Wand made 1.4 million euros at the Arqana Sale as a yearling and is a three-quarter sister to Group I winner Chiquita, the Champion 3YO Filly in Ireland in 2013.

Magic Wand becomes the 84th individual Group/Grade 1 winner for Galileo, equalling the record set by his former Coolmore barnmate Danehill.