Wild Illusion, Magic Wand meet again in Pretty Polly Stakes

Wild Illusion and Magic Wand, second and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs last November, meet for the first time this year in Friday’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares at The Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.

The $341,550 Pretty Polly Stakes is run at 1 1/4 miles and is the leading race for older females at The Curragh. The race could have ramifications for the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Wild Illusion, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin Racing, has started once this year, finishing sixth against males in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp on May 26. In the BC Filly and Mare Turf, Wild Illusion was beaten a neck by Sistercharlie.

Magic Wand, one of three runners in the Pretty Polly field trained by Aidan O’Brien, is winless in four starts this year. She has run twice in the United States, finishing second in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January and third in the Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park on May 11.

This will be the fourth meeting between Magic Wand and Wild Illusion. Magic Wand and Wild Illusion were first and second in their first matchup in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2018. They were first and second when Wild Illusion beat Magic Wand in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp in Paris last October.

Magic Wand most recently was second in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 18. Ryan Moore rode Magic Wand in the Wolferton but will ride the O’Brien-trained Pink Dogwood in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Pink Dogwood, one of three 3-year-olds in a field of seven, was second in the Group 1 English Oaks at Epsom on May 31. Iridessa, another 3-year-old, is trained by O’Brien’s son, Joseph, and was fourth in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh on May 26.