04 November 2022

Buick weaves Breeders’ Cup Magic on Mischief

04 November 2022

Mischief Magic swept in with a late run to land the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Mischief Magic was boxed in on the rail turning for home.

However, the colt was threaded through the leaders to lunge in the final yards.

Showing an impressive turn of foot, the bay streaked past Karl Burke’s Dramatised to prevail in a British one-two, with Private Creed third and the Richard Hannon-trained Persian Force back in fourth.

Buick said: “He really enjoyed coming off the turn, he’s a closer and I expected him to come from off the pace.

“He’s worked into the race and it opened up for us. He was always going to do enough. When I set him alight, he switched his legs and he just flew.

“He’s a very straightforward horse to ride and he was very tough today.”

Mischief Magic was last seen finishing fourth to the now-retired Blackbeard in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in September and Appleby felt that had been a good prep outing.

The Godolphin trainer said: “Going into the Middle Park, we were always mindful that it was a stepping stone to this race and that he was pitching with the best colts in the UK.

“The plan was for him to sit a bit closer but after missing the break, Will let him find his legs and it was a great ride.

“He’s such a willing horse and it’s also great that he’s a homebred.

“He will have the winter off and with his scope, I can see him developing into a contender for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.”

He will have the winter off and with his scope, I can see him developing into a contender for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot

Burke was delighted with Dramatised’s effort in second.

He said: “She ran a fantastic race. We couldn’t have asked for anything more, really.

“She’s just a little bit slow for gate speed, which we were always a little bit concerned with, but Ryan (Moore) gave her a beautiful ride and was committed to go down the rail once we were slow away.

“Maybe we were a bit lucky to get the gaps in the straight. We thought we had it won a half-furlong out.

“Fair play – Charlie’s horse is a very good horse. She’s probably a stiff five-furlong horse.”

The Alice Haynes-trained Lady Hollywood came home fifth but The Platinum Queen, who was widely expected to take a hand in the finish for Richard Fahey after her Group One success in the Prix de l’Abbaye last time, was under pressure from some way out in the hands of Hollie Doyle and finished 11th.

Fahey said: “I was disappointed with her run. Nothing seemed to go right and Hollie said she felt a bit flat.

“She will have a well-deserved holiday now.

“Hollie said she got more worked up today than she had done before and I think it was all a bit of a shock to her system.

“She jumped well but one came around her outside and from then it was not going right for us.”

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