The 5-year-old mare Magical has been one of the best horses in the world for nearly two years now, since she gave mighty Enable a real challenge in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf, and on Saturday at Leopardstown she beat the highest-rated horse in the world, Ghaiyyath, by three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes. Ghaiyyath had buried Magical by three lengths in the Juddmonte International this summer, but Saturday at Leopardstown trainer Aidan O’Brien instructed jockey Seamie Heffernan to run with Ghaiyyath. Ghaiyyath, an odds-on favorite here following Group 1 wins in the Coronation Cup, the Coral-Eclipse, and the International, went out to the lead, as usual, and set a solid tempo, but Magical never let him get more than a length in front, Heffernan shadowing William Buick’s every move on the favorite. Turning into the homestretch, with about three furlong left to race, Buick asked Ghaiyyath for more and his mount gave it, but Magical was unrelenting, drawing alongside in mid-stretch and forging to the front in the final furlong. Ghaiyyath came home 1 1/4 lengths in front of Armory, who won a show photo with Sottsass. Magical, who got a three-pound sex allowance from Ghaiyyath, was clocked in 2:05.08 for the 1 1/4 miles over good ground, close to 1 1/2 seconds faster than her time when she won the 2019 Irish Champion over Magic Wand. The Irish Champion was part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series offering automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Turf and travel expenses to Keeneland this fall. Magical, by Galileo out of Halfway to Heave, by Pivotal, won the Champion Stakes in England last autumn rather than shipping to Santa Anita for a Breeders’ Cup race. She has the Oct. 4 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on her schedule this fall, and perhaps connections would consider another trip to America this year with the Breeders’ Cup back in Kentucky, where Magical ran so well two Novembers ago. Magical has never been Enable’s equal, finishing behind her the four times they’ve met, but still has fashioned an incredible career with 12 victories – seven now at the Group 1 level – among her dozen career successes. Champers Elysees gives Murtagh big win in Matron Champers Elysees won the Matron Stakes in her Group 1 debut and gave John Murtagh, the one-time champion jockey, the biggest win of his training career. Champers Elysees came from the back of the pack in the one-mile Matron and out-sprinted Peaceful to the wire to post a 1 1/4-length victory. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to favored Fancy Blue, who failed to show her best cutting back to a distance shorter than ideal. Champers Elysees now is 4 for 4 during 2020, rising from the handicap ranks to win a Group 3 in advance of the Matron, which is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series offering automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Filly and Mare Turf. At 1 3/16 miles this year at Keeneland, that race might be too long for Champers Elysees, who never had run as far as a mile before Saturday. Champers Elysees, ridden by Colin Keane, is by Elzaam out of El Cuvee, by Mark of Esteem. Cadillac easily best in Juvenile Cadillac had finished second as the odds-on favorite in his stakes debut, the Group 2 Futurity last month at The Curragh, a race run over soft ground. But back on good going at Leopardstown, where he had won his debut by nine lengths, 2-year-old Cadillac was much the best Saturday in the Group 2 Juvenile Stakes. Traveling wide under Shane Foley, Cadillac cruised to the lead a furlong from the finish of this one-mile contest and won by 3 1/2 lengths in an eye-catching performance. Van Gogh, the second choice behind favored Cadillac, was a clear second, more than three lengths behind longshot Reve de Vol. The Champion was part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and Cadillac now has a fees-paid entry into the BC Juvenile Turf at Keeneland. His trainer, Jessica Harrington, has run horses in Breeders’ Cup races before and Cadillac performed well Saturday racing left-handed over a relatively flat course, conditions more similar to American racing than most European racecourses. Cadillac is by Lope de Vega out of Seas of Wells, by Dansili. Galileo Chrome stays perfect on the year in St Leger Galileo Chrome ran his 3-year-old mark to four wins from four starts with a narrow victory Saturday at Doncaster in the Group 1 St Leger Stakes. Galileo Chrome and jockey Tom Marquand got up by a neck over longshot Berkshire Rocco in the 1 13/16-mile staying contest for 3-year-olds. Pyldriver finished third, a length behind the runner-up, and favored Santiago was fourth. Joseph O’Brien trains Galileo Chrome, a son of Australia and Curious Mind, by Dansili. O’Brien rode the 2013 St Leger winner Leading Light. Galileo Chrome was making his Group stakes debut after dominating listed competition in his most recent start.