Connections of Magical Zoe receive their prizes© Photo Healy Racing
Magical Zoe delighted favourite backers with a clear-cut victory in the Sky Bet Ebor at York.
Henry de Bromhead’s mare has run well at each of the last two Cheltenham Festivals, filling the runner-up spot in the 2023 Mares Novices’ Hurdle before finishing fourth behind last year’s Ebor hero Absurde in the County Hurdle in March.
Having since switched to the Flat, with a maiden success at Down Royal sandwiched by two creditable effort in stakes company, Magical Zoe was the 11-2 market leader for her the £500,000 feature on the fourth and final day of the Ebor Festival and ultimately won comprehensively.
After being settled in midfield for much of the one-mile-six-furlong contest, the six-year-old was produced with her challenge down the centre of the track by Billy Lee in the straight and was in front racing inside the final two furlongs.
The result was not really in any doubt thereafter as Magical Zoe galloped all the way to the line to score comfortably by two and three-quarter lengths, ensuring one of Britain’s most prestigious Flat handicaps went to Ireland for the third time in four years following the recent triumphs of Johnny Murtagh’s Sonnyboyliston in 2021 and the Willie Mullins-trained Absurde 12 months ago.
De Bromhead said: “It’s great, I’m delighted for the lads (owners Patrick and Scott Bryceland), they came up with the idea of coming here and what a brilliant idea it was. It’s just worked out really well.
“She won it well, Billy was brilliant on her.”
The trainer added: “I don’t know what to say! It’s amazing, it’s a race you grow up watching and I never dreamt I could win – here we are. We’ve won it and it’s incredible.
“It’s an amazing race. The lads were always keen to go on the Flat. Alex Elliott, who bought her for them, has been keen to go ever since they’ve had her.
“We were going to go last year but it wasn’t really fitting as she had a tough old season, this year it has just worked out brilliantly. The guys said ‘we’ll start at the Ebor and work our way back’ and that’s what we did, it’s incredible that it’s come to fruition.
“We had to have our three runs on the Flat and we were slightly on the back foot with that, you had to have them by July 20 but it all fell into place. It’s amazing, with good horses everything is just made a fraction easier.
“I love training good horses, training winners is what we want but to come to a big meeting like this is just brilliant. It’s the stuff of dreams.”
Of a potential tilt at the Melbourne Cup, De Bromhead said: “We have a win-and-you’re-in (entry) for Melbourne, so now we have to really start talking about that!”
Adrian Keatley was delighted with the performance of the 25-1 runner-up Kihavah, saying: “He’s a great horse and does brilliant things for our yard. Hopefully he’s around for a long time.
“The winner won well, but we ran a brilliant race and are delighted. The mile and six stretches his stamina and that’s as far as he wants to be going.”
Ian Williams said of the third placed Oneforthegutter: “I never expected him to get in off his mark, but he has run a huge race.
“He and Joe (Fanning) have just gelled together and ultimately just got outstayed. It was a huge performance and a little bit better than the what we were expecting.”
The race was marred by a fatal injury to Crystal Delight, who appeared to go wrong and unseated Tom Marquand when in the lead.
Trainer Harry Eustace told ITV Racing: “Everyone involved with Crystal Delight is totally and completely heartbroken. He was the most noble and kind warrior you could ever meet. We will miss him.”
