Magical Lagoon Takes Ribblesdale for Harrington

Shane Foley, who was celebrating his very first Royal Ascot winner, put it better than I ever could. 

"She is a phenomenal lady and a great woman to work for," he said. "It doesn't matter whether it is Cheltenham, Punchestown, or Royal Ascot, she can produce them for any of the big days."

He was, of course, talking about Jessica Harrington. This tenacious effort from Magical Lagoon  in the June 16 Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) was her third Royal Ascot success, following the Coronation Stakes (G1) victories of half sisters Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star, and they sit on a CV alongside a Gold Cup (G1), a champion hurdle, and a couple of Champion Chases. Apparently she is 75 years of age, that must be a mistake on her birth certificate, surely? 

Harrington was taking none of the credit for the performance, instead deflecting all praise on to the winning filly, but we won't fall for that, we all know she has plenty to do with it.

She said of Magical Lagoon: "She's very straightforward and just gets on with it. She's very easy to train. She has a lovely temperament and is very relaxed about life. It is absolutely fantastic to get another Royal Ascot winner, it really is."

Sea Silk Road , who usurped Magical Lagoon as favorite beforehand, loomed up on the outside and looked sure to score a furlong out, but the Harrington-trained filly is a daughter of Galileo  and, boy, do they know how to battle. 

Harrington added: "There were plenty of moments inside the final furlong when I thought she might be beaten. I was making an awful lot of noise and a show of myself watching it on the big screen!

"I always knew that if she got into a battle, she'd be really tough. She's a beautiful, powerful filly, she really is. She loves that quick ground. She really enjoys it."

As for the future, trying to win another Irish classic is now on the trainer's agenda. 

She said: "The plan was to come here and then go to the Irish Oaks (G1). All being well, that's still the plan. She's a proper mile and a half filly."

For Foley it was a moment he had patiently waited for. Indeed, he admitted afterwards that he thought it might never come. 

The winning jockey said: "I thought when I missed Alpine Star because of the COVID rules at the time that my chance of a Royal Ascot winner were gone. It's such a great week and it's fantastic to be involved. It's especially nice to be involved with horses who have chances. 

"She was just feeling the ground over the first few furlongs but I let her warm into it. We were going a nice even gallop the whole way but when Tom (Marquand) came to me I thought 'uh oh,' but when his filly didn't go on I knew mine would fight back."

Fight back she did, and there was half a length in it at the line. 

Foley added: "I have been coming here for a long time now. I have knocked on the door with a couple of seconds, and it is the place you want to be riding. However, when you are not winning, it is not the place you want to be!

"I'm just so grateful to everybody. I said to my wife earlier this week that if I was to have a Royal Ascot winner, it would be this week, and I thought this filly was my best chance."

Your instincts were spot on, Shane.