Magical performance delights O'Brien

Magical stamped her class on the Coolmore Highland Reel Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh.

The daughter of Galileo enjoyed a fine three-year-old campaign last season - claiming Group 1 honours on Champions Day at Ascot before giving dual Arc heroine Enable a run for her money in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

She proved her talent remains very much intact with a facile comeback victory in the Alleged Stakes at Naas last month and was a prohibitively-priced 2/9 favourite to follow up and provide Aidan O’Brien with an 11th triumph in the 10-furlong Group Two feature.

With stablemate Flag Of Honour giving her a lead, Magical travelled strongly in the hands of Ryan Moore before easing her way to the lead over a furlong out.

She never looked in danger of being caught and passed the post a length and a half clear, with Flag Of Honour giving connections a one-two. The King and Latrobe were close behind in third and fourth respectively.

O'Brien said afterwards: "I'm delighted with her and we're thinking of coming back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. She's coming along lovely.

"They went a good gallop today. Seamus didn't dawdle around in front (on Flag Of Honour) and there were three Group 1 winners in the race plus Jessie's horse (The King) is decent as well.

"Flag Of Honour is getting his act together. The reason we were a bit hard on him last year was because he acted up in France last year, so we just had to waken him up a bit.

"He'll be better again when he goes up in trip again to a mile and a half plus. The Coronation Cup could be a possibility but we will see how Kew Gardens gets on first.

"Kew Gardens will run in Chester and if he's okay going around there he could go for the Cornoation. He disappointed there in the Derby last year but maybe it was because we didn't give him a chance and rode him to far forward."

O'Brien and Ryan Moore were completing a double on the card, having earlier won the Athasi Stakes with Happen

Additional reporting by Alan Magee