3 minute read

Richard Hannon’s good week continued as Magical Sunset ensured there would be further group race success by taking out the Group 3 Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes.

The drop back to seven furlongs on an easier surface looked to work the oracle for the AMO Racing-owned filly, who was fairly well-beaten when seventh in Listed company at Sandown last-time-out.

Racing towards the stands side was seemingly beneficial and Magical Sunset took full advantage of that by coming with a well-timed run between rivals to score snugly by three-quarters of a length at odds of 18/1.

The 4/1 market leader, Breege, shifted left-handed in the closing stages causing some interference to last year's shock winner Internationalangel, but the klaxon failed to sound, and she finished in the runner-up spot. Dream Of Love (15/2) filled third place.

Winning jockey Kevin Stott said: "We were drawn quite wide, and I was just trying to get a position. We were pushed wide on the bend, and I was half-stopped in my run between the three and two [furlong markers]. To get going again after being checked and to still win with a bit in hand - you could see she was pricking her old ears a bit.

"She was half pulling up on me a bit, but she's won on heavy ground as a two-year-old - and on quick - so she's versatile.

"I was quite lucky the gaps came when they did because they call came over [to the stands' side] and when you are drawn wide and not up where the pace is you can be left with nowhere to go. I was lucky the gaps opened, and she picked up nicely.

"We [Amo Racing, owners of Magical Sunset] are having a good season and we have some very nice horses. Hopefully, we can keep building on that and we still have a couple of nice two-year-olds who have yet to run."

Richard Hannon added: "I think she would have been unlucky if she'd been beaten. She's much better on this ground - she won the Radley Stakes at Newbury very well on it, and that's helped her today."

"She looked the best turning in at Sandown the other day and it looked to me like she didn't get home, so we came back to seven furlongs today and I'm delighted; she won very well. The owner rang me and was actually pleased - that's very rare! Group races are very hard to win. My God, there's a massive bottle of Whispering Angel over there - he's not getting that! That's what you call tax…

"She's a really sweet filly. She's always been lovely but she's much better on that ground. She cost a few quid, mind you [340,000 euros]. She was unlucky in the Goffs Millions. She's getting her revenge slightly and getting her slice of luck. I think she's entered in a Group 3 in Deauville so she might go there - she'll have a penalty, obviously. But wherever the soft ground is."