Tag Archive for: Magical Sunset

Magical Sunset rises to the challenge in Oak Tree Stakes

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Magical Sunset finished with some gusto to secure the Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.

Richard Hannon’s filly won three times last season, including a Listed success, but could finish only fifth when favourite to make a winning reappearance in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury in April.

She had also troubled to fail the judge in four starts since, but bounced right back to the best in deteriorating conditions on the Sussex Downs.

Matilda Picotte cut out much of the running in the seven-furlong Group Three before being swallowed up by the chasing pack, and in the final furlong 4-1 joint-favourite Breege hit the front.

But Kevin Stott was biding his time in behind aboard 18-1 shot Magical Sunset and she picked up well once in the clear to get up and score by three-quarters of length.

Hannon said: “I think she would have been unlucky if she’d been beaten, she’s much better on this ground – she won the Radley Stakes at Newbury very well on it and that’s helped her today.

“She looked the best turning in at Sandown the other day and it looked to me like she didn’t get home, so we came back to seven furlongs today and I’m delighted. She won very well.

“The owner rang me and was actually pleased – that’s very rare! Group races are very hard to win. My god, there’s a massive bottle of Whispering Angel over there – he’s not getting that! That’s what you call tax…”

He added: “She’s a really sweet filly. She’s always been lovely, but she’s much better on that ground. She cost a few quid, mind you. She was unlucky in the Goffs Million, she’s getting her revenge slightly and getting her slice of luck.

“I think she’s entered in a Group Three in Deauville, so she might go there – she’ll have a penalty, obviously, but she’ll go wherever the soft ground is.”



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Olivia Maralda and Magical Sunset primed for Surrey challenge

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Amo Racing will launch a two-pronged assault on the Nyetimber Surrey Stakes at Epsom on Friday, with both Olivia Maralda and Magical Sunset donning the purple silks of Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation.

Both fillies are returning to seven furlongs having raced either side of that distance most recently and it is Olivia Maralda who appears to have the best chance of scooping black type in this Listed event.

The daughter of Kodiac rarely disappointed when trained by Michael O’Callaghan last term, with some of her highlights including a successful raid on Newbury and chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s Meditate in the Group Two Debutante Stakes.

Switched to Roger Varian in the close season, she was upped to a mile for her return in the 1000 Guineas, acquitting herself well before fading in the testing conditions at Newmarket inside the final furlong.

Now the filly returns to the distance some of her best outings have come at in search of a first victory in Pattern company.

“I thought Olivia Maralda ran a fantastic race in the 1000 Guineas,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing.

“She looked nailed on for fourth until the final furlong and then in that ground it just sapped it out of her.

“Dropping back to seven furlongs will suit and she goes there in good form.”

Meanwhile, Richard Hannon’s Magical Sunset was a Listed winner at Newbury in heavy ground as a juvenile and was sent off favourite at the Berkshire venue for the Fred Darling on her seasonal bow.

Dropped back to six furlongs at Ascot following a fifth in that 1000 Guineas trial, she was seen doing her best work late which has prompted a swift return to further.

“We came away from Newbury and the Fred Darling a little disappointed and then we dropped her back in trip to six furlongs for the Commonwealth Cup trial,” continued Pennington. “All she did at Ascot was stay on and run like she was screaming out for further.

“Royal Ascot will be her target and we’ll look at something like the Sandringham. This is a stepping stone for that, but she’s a very nice filly.

“These are two very nice fillies and they go there with live chances but I think Andrew Balding’s Holguin is the one to beat, he has some good form in the book. However, they are both good fillies and should run nice races.”

The consistent Holguin heads the bookmakers lists on the back of two neck seconds so far this season.

The Kingsclere representative was just touched off by Ralph Beckett’s Angel Bleu in a Haydock Listed event most recently and is a worthy market leader.

Holguin after winning at Newbury
Holguin after winning at Newbury (Neil Morrice/PA)

Meanwhile, the Nick Bradley Racing-owned Secret Angel is another filly in the line-up bringing top form to the table.

The Karl Burke-trained daughter of Dark Angel was a Deauville Listed winner last term and has performed with credit in two outings so far this season, finishing third in the Nell Gwyn before fourth to Sacred when taking on her elders at Lingfield.

“There was a case to run her in a Group Two in France against three-year-old fillies, but I just thought this race was small on numbers and although I’m not sure we’ll beat Holguin, I think she will will run well,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of Nick Bradley Racing.

“I think the track will suit, the trip will suit and I’m going to watch all the previous Woodcote and Surrey Stakes, but stall one, I think I would have chosen stall one right now.

“She is in good form at home and last time out at Lingfield I kind of felt we were running against the all-weather specialists and a couple of really classy fillies who are effectively Group One horses in Sandrine and Sacred.

“It’s a drop down in class, I think she will run a big race and I will be disappointed if she wasn’t first or second.”



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In-form Amo team mount dual assault on Fred Darling prize

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Olivia Maralda and Magical Sunset will try to keep up the momentum of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing as they line up in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

From 20 runners, the purple colours have been carried to success on seven occasions in the last 14 days, victories that have included Mammas Girl in the Nell Gwyn and Indestructible in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

In what appears to be a hugely competitive, yet open renewal of the seven-furlong Group Three contest more familiar as the Fred Darling, Magical Sunset and Olivia Maralda both appear to have plenty going for them.

Magical Sunset, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Kevin Stott, won three of her five races last season, signing off with victory over course and distance.

Tom Pennington, Amo’s racing manager, said: “To beat Sakheer on debut on quick ground at Windsor was impressive and she was a bit unlucky not to win the Goffs Million at the Curragh, she suffered some really bad interference at halfway.

“To then have the guts to run on and finish fourth, we were delighted with that.

“She obviously came back and won well at Leicester under James Doyle and then backed it up with the good win in the Radley Stakes at Newbury.

“We thought she would run well at Newbury but we didn’t think she would win by five lengths, so we were delighted by that.

“Richard is very happy with her and she has been showing him all the right signs at home.”

The Roger Varian-trained Olivia Maralda is drawn one, next to her stablemate. It will be her first run for the yard, having earned one win and three runner-up berths in five outings for Michael O’Callaghan last season.

Her sole success came in a maiden over course and distance before she was touched off by Meditate in the Group Two Debutante Stakes at the Curragh in September.

She was last seen finishing ninth of 14 to Commissioning in the Rockfel at Newmarket in September and makes her three-year-old debut against 13 rivals.

Pennington added: “I thought she was going to win the Debutante Stakes. She was sort of the last filly off the bridle and travelled into it very well.

“Then it was perhaps a bridge too far at Newmarket – she was just beginning to turn in her coat and it was probably just one race too many, she was over the top.

“Roger is very happy with her which is the main thing and she hasn’t missed a day this spring.”

Remarquee/Salisbury
Remarquee looked smart on debut at Salisbury (Simon Milham/PA)

Two fillies, who have each won their sole start, head the market.

Ralph Beckett’s Remarquee, a daughter of Kingman, took a seven-furlong Salisbury novice in fine style from Bresson last September, while Godolphin’s Bridestones, by Teofilo, scored with ease on her Yarmouth debut for John and Thady Gosden in October.

Beckett said: “She has done well this winter. She will need the run, but she is training well.”

Thady Gosden hopes Bridestones will continue the yard’s excellent form as she drops back a furlong.

He said: “She is a nicely-bred filly and has done well over the winter. It is a hugely competitive race, but we are looking forward to it. We will learn a bit more about her, I’m sure.”

Karl Burke, fresh from his Craven success with the Amo-owned Indestructible, saddles Swingalong, who won the Lowther at York in August before finishing four lengths behind Lezoo in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket on her last juvenile run.

Swingalong took York's Lowther and steps up to seven furlongs at Newbury
Swingalong took York’s Lowther and steps up to seven furlongs at Newbury (Mike Egerton/PA)

“She is in great form and has been training very well,” said Burke of the Showcasing filly, who steps up to seven furlongs for the first time.

“I’m confident she’ll stay the seven and we’ll make the decision about the mile after that.

“It is a competitive race, no doubt about it. There looks to be some very nice fillies in it, so it is going to be tough, but she is in good form.

“She’s matured really well and wintered very well and she looks great.”



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