Fairyland Takes Flight in Flying Five Stakes

This Irish Champions Weekend was one to remember for team Ballydoyle, but success in the Sept. 15 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes (G1) with Evie Stockwell's Fairyland was a particularly special one.

Stockwell, mother to Coolmore supremo John Magnier, has an unrivaled appetite for her racing and breeding.

Surrounded by her family and Aidan O'Brien, the 94-year-old savored the coronation of her latest star, Fairyland, who was made to work hardest by stablemate So Perfect in Ireland's only five-furlong group 1.

Just a short head separated Fairyland and So Perfect at the winning line, with O'Brien suggesting both fillies could take in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (G1)  at ParisLongchamp next.

Fairyland earned an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) by winning the Flying Five, a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" challenge race.

"Her best run of the year was back at five (furlongs) in the King's Stand Stakes (G1)," O'Brien said. "You'd be delighted with both of them (Fairyland and So Perfect). I'd imagine the two of them will go to the Abbaye.

"The ground was a bit soft for Fairyland last week at Haydock but she ran very well there. We're delighted with them. The two of them ran stormers."

Bred by Stockwell's daughter Anne O'Callaghan and her husband Tony at their Tally Ho Stud in County Westmeath, Fairyland fetched 925,000 guineas (US$1,289,529) at the sales.

The buyer? A certain M.V. Magnier, grandson to Stockwell, signed for Fairyland, a purchase described as "brave" by the owner afterwards.

Asked whether Fairyland would stay in training next year, Stockwell replied: "No, no, she's going to Galileo."

Such a match up would make sense given her pedigree. Out of a half sister to Dream Ahead and now a dual group 1 winner, Fairyland is worth her weight in gold at stud.

Fairyland and So Perfect had more than a length to spare over Invincible Army, who came back to form to finish third.

However, the well-backed Soffia, sent off 13-8 favorite, was caught on the heels of the leaders over a furlong out and couldn't quite eat into the lead once out in the clear. She finished fifth.