Magical Lagoon wins the Juddmonte Irish Oaks

Magical Lagoon got the better of a tremendous duel with Toy to provide trainer Jessica Harrington and rider Shane Foley with their first victories in the Gr.1 Irish Oaks at the Curragh yesterday.

Taken from EBN, 17th July 2022

A highly anticipated rematch between the Gr.1 Epsom Oaks one-two Tuesday (Galileo) and Emily Upjohn (Sea The Stars) failed to materialise, but the seven remaining runners conspired
to deliver a thrilling spectacle.
The 5/4 favourite Magical Lagoon was well away from the stalls, though content to take a lead from Show Of Stars (Showcasing). The beautifully-bred Toy and dual Listed-winner
Cairde Go Deo (Camelot) were also in close attendance, with Emily Dickinson (Dubawi), Fennela (Sea The Stars) and History
(Galileo) further back. There was little change in the order before the turn for home, though a dramatic stumble from Fennela four furlongs out briefly squeezed up Emily Dickinson and hampered History.
Evidently keen to utilise her proven stamina over the 1m4f trip, Magical Lagoon was driven past Show Of Stars at the quarter-mile pole, though Toy and Cairde Go Deo were quick to try and
cover the move. Toy ranged virtually upsides Magical Lagoon a furlong out and briefly looked as though she might have the upper hand under Ryan Moore. However, Shane Foley was able to galvanise his mount and Magical Lagoon dug deep into her stamina reserves to repel Toy by half a length. Cairde Go Deo finished two and-three-quarter lengths back in third and Emily Dickinson
was fourth.
The Zhang Yuesheng-owned Magical Lagoon was earning her third success from six starts, following the Gr.3 Flame Of Tara Stakes last year and the Gr.2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Bred by Coolmore, she realised 305,000gns when a Book 1 offering at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and is a half-sister to the 2013 Gr.1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner and sire Novellist (Monsun).
She is out of the Gr.3 winner Night Lagoon (Lagunas) and her other siblings include the black-type earning trio Nuntius (Dalakhani), Nerud (Bernardini) and Ninfea (Selkirk; dam of the Gr.2 placed winner Nemean Lion and the Listed-placed winner Nayala).