In the week that his star stablemate Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was winning the G3 Greenham S. last April, Magical Memory was finishing only fourth off an official BHA rating of 87 in a handicap at Newmarket's Craven meeting. Progressing fast over six furlongs thereafter, the grey was third behind Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) back there on the 1000 Guineas undercard and here in June either side of a win at Leicester in late May. After earning a rating of 102 when winning a heritage handicap on Newmarket's July Course, he was the only 3-year-old high enough in the handicap to take part in Glorious Goodwood's prestigious Stewards' Cup in August and duly collected to confirm his new status as a sprinter of pattern-race quality. Closer to Twilight Son when they met for the third time in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in September, he was only 3/4-of-a-length behind in third there and showed on his return when winning the G3 Abernant S. at Newmarket Apr. 14 that he had lost none of his prowess over the winter. Always close to the frantic early pace under Frankie Dettori, the smooth-travelling Magical Memory was sent to the lead as the tempo started to die approaching the furlong pole and quickly settled the result before being coaxed to the line. “You have to time it right, because he gets there quick and thinks he's got the job done,” his jockey said. “I had to move when I did and he delivered straightaway and then waited for the others. If he keeps on progressing like this, he should win a group 1.” Trainer Charlie Hills is pointing that way, with Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. next in line June 18. “The way he travels is impressive and he just does enough in front and we'll go for the Saturday race at Royal Ascot. Frankie said the other day that he would be ideally suited to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, so let's hope he's right. He's been an absolute superstar and he looks like he's really enjoying what he's doing–he looks good in his eye. He'd only done two bits of fast work since the Abernant and it's a long season, so we are looking after him a bit. We could easily drop him back to five, as he has a lot of speed. I don't think ground really matters to him, as he's a professional and goes where you want him to.” Suedois's trainer David O'Meara said of the runner-up, “He's only a new horse to us. He ran really well in the [Listed] Cammidge [Trophy] on very soft ground, so he must be incredibly versatile because he's run well again. He's entered at Ascot and the Diamond Jubilee would be the most obvious.”
Wednesday, York, Britain
DUKE OF YORK CLIPPER LOGISTICS S.-G2, £120,000, YOR, 5-11, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.52, gd.
1–MAGICAL MEMORY (IRE), 134, g, 4, by Zebedee (GB)
1st Dam: Marasem (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
2nd Dam: Balaabel, by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Muhbubh, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(€23,000 Wlg '12 GOFNOV; €35,000 Ylg '13 GOFORB). O-Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds I; B-Wardstown Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £68,052. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 15-6-1-3, $576,638. Werk Nick Rating: A Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Suedois (Fr), 134, g, 5, Le Havre (Ire)–Cup Cake (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire). (€165,000 4yo '15 ARARC). O-George Turner; B-Mme Elisabeth Vidal (FR); T-David O'Meara. £25,800.
3–Danzeno (GB), 134, g, 5, Denounce (GB)–Danzanora (GB), by Groom Dancer. O/B-A M Wragg (GB); T-Michael Appleby. £12,912.
Margins: HF, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 12.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Eastern Impact (Ire), Twilight Son (GB), Tupi (Ire), Dick Whittington (Ire), Mattmu (GB), Goken (Fr), Moonraker (GB), Moviesta, Jack Dexter (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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