Magical prevails in British Champions Fillies and Mares

Magical won her first Group 1 race when she surged past the favored Lah Ti Dar and held off Coronet in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares on Saturday at Ascot.

Among her opponents were five other horses trained by Aidan O’Brien, but Magical got by without even a little help from her friends.

Lah Ti Dar, favored at 4-5 in North American parimutuel wagering, tracked the leaders from fourth under Frankie Dettori and moved to the lead near the head of the homestretch in this 1 1/2-mile race around right-handed bends. But Magical and jockey Ryan Moore pounced inside the final quarter-mile, went past the favorite without having to work too hard, then stayed on solidly to score by one length over Coronet, who finished well on the outside to best Lah Ti Dar by three-quarters of a length.

Magical, by Galileo and out of the Pivotal mare Halfway to Heaven, had a solid six-start 2-year-old campaign last year but only hit her best form this season after being stretched out to 1 1/2 miles. Tenth last out in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, she broke through Saturday in her second start over the extended trip and now might have the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf as an option, as might Coronet.

Sands of Mali flows home in Sprint

Sands of Mali made an early lead and never gave it up, winning the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint by one length over Harry Angel.

Sands of Mali was a 32-1 shot on the North American tote but would have been a fraction of that price a few months ago. Sands of Mali, who was ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last fall to cap his 2-year-old campaign, started his season in great form, winning twice and finishing second of 22 in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. But Sands of Mali ran well below form in his next three starts before bouncing back Saturday.

Racing in hand under Paul Hanagan, Sands of Mali doled out his speed as needed, turning back several thrusts from the chasing Harry Angel to push out a game winner going six furlongs over a soft course. Richard Fahey trains Sands of Mali for the Cool Silk Partnership. The French-bred Sands of Mali is by Panis and out of Kadiania, by Indian Rocket.

Donjuan Triumphant finished third, while the favored The Tin Man was seventh.

Stradivarius strings together fifth straight

Stradivarius, Europe’s top stayer, completed a perfect campaign by winning the Group 2 British Champions Long Distance Cup by 1 1/2 lengths over Thomas Hobson.

Stradivarius had to come through a tight spot in upper stretch to make the front and then came over on Thomas Hobson, shutting off his path on the rail. That move got winning jockey Dettori a suspension from track stewards, but Stradivarius still got the win, the two-mile Long Distance Cup coming after victories this year in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup, the Group 1 Goodwood Cup, the Group 1 Gold Cup, and the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup.

John Gosden trains Stradivarius, a 4-year-old son of Sea The Stars and Private Life, by Bering, for owner Bjorn Nielsen. Stradivarius is expected to return for a 5-year-old campaign in 2019.