Magical Lagoon primed for big-race mission in Japan

Nick Robson
November 9, 2022 3:19 pm

QEII Cup was won by Snow Fairy in 2010 and 2011.

Jessica Harrington’s Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon is in “perfect” condition ahead of her outing in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Japan on Sunday.

Run over 11 furlongs, Magical Lagoon will be the first overseas runner in the race since Ed Dunlop’s globetrotter Snow Fairy won it for a second time in 2011.

Magical Lagoon also won the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot earlier in the year and was last seen finishing fifth behind Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Harrington has sent her to Japan in search of quick ground.

“This morning, she galloped for about six furlongs. We just wanted to get a nice breeze into her and for Shane (Foley) to see how she’s moving and how she was,” said assistant trainer Kate Harrington.

Magical Lagoon was a Royal Ascot winner this year (David Davies/PA)

“She lost a nice bit of weight traveling here, but she’s back to her best weight now. With Shane riding her today, she knows it’s coming close to the race date, she’s in perfect condition and we couldn’t be happier with her. She’s taking everything well in her stride and settled in really well with the surroundings here.

“The quick surface in Japan is one of the reasons why we brought her here. She’s done well on quick surfaces in Europe and I think the right-handed course at Hanshin will suit her well. Magical Lagoon is a tough horse, she has stamina and she’ll never give up a fight.”

Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley after the Irish Oaks (Brian Lawless/PA)

Foley, who is no stranger to riding in Japan having had a stint there in 2016, is hoping the forecast rain does not materialise.

He said: “Hanshin Racecourse is a very good and fair track with a long straight so that she can get into a battle. The harder the battle, the better she’ll be.

“She’s usually good out of the gate and quick into her strides so we hope to get a nice position in the first five or six and get her into a nice rhythm.

“We’d prefer that it doesn’t rain and that we can race on fast track because her best form is on firm ground, but she’s getting stronger all the time and I think she’ll handle it well. The soft ground in Japan is different to soft ground in Europe so hopefully it won’t get too bad.”