The Gr2 $250 000 Cape Verdi features some intriguing faces at Meydan this evening, but none arguably as much as Charlie Appleby-trained Magic Lily, whose blood is as blue as the Godolphin silks rider James Doyle will adorn.
A daughter of five-time Gr1-winning champion New Approach and English and German Oaks winner Dancing Rain, she began her career as promising as her pedigree—smashing foes by eight lengths on debut in Sept. 2017 and finishing a game three-quarter-length third in the Gr1 Fillies’ Mile astern Laurens and ahead of Magical—but luck soon went lopsided.
“She sustained an injury there in early part of her 3-year-old career and that’s why she missed (2018),”
Appleby said. “We were very happy to get her back on track for her reappearance in France, where she put up a respectable effort there. I was a bit disappointed, but we sort of potentially knew our fate there in her last start because she was drawn wide at Lingfield. She didn’t do it the right way around, therefore we knew it was always the plan to come here.”
Off 721 days between her 2- and 4-year-old seasons, the chestnut filly returned with a good second in Saint-Cloud’s Listed Prix Dahlia on 4 October over 2000m—her first try beyond the mile of her first two runs. She came back six weeks later to disappoint on Lingfield’s all-weather in the aforementioned Gillies Fillies’ Stakes (Listed), checking in sixth after turning for home with the lead.
Jason Watson was aboard that day, but Doyle returns to partner for the first time since piloting her debut victory. The pair breaks from post three of eight fillies and mares in what will be just her fifth lifetime start.
Arguably her toughest challenge could come from Appleby-conditioned Beyond Reason, a Gr2 winner with more of a penchant for shorter distances than Magic Lily.
“The mile trip will be on the sharp side for her this evening, but it’s hopefully a nice prep for her into the 1800m Balanchine,” Appleby concluded. “Her preparation has gone well, so we’re looking forward to seeing her next start on a nice conventional track like Meydan. She’s in good order and should put up a decent performance.”
