Henry de Bromhead looks set for a trip down under after his mare Magical Zoe booked her Melbourne Cup ticket by winning the Sky Bet Ebor Stakes at York on Saturday.
Runner-up in the Grade 2 Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last year, Henry De Bromhead's six-year-old advocated her talents under both codes in recent months, winning a Down Royal maiden prior to finishing third in the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Fairyhouse last time.
The bay daughter of Shantou was sent off the 11/2 favourite in her bid to claim the valuable Sky Bet Ebor Handicap and under a patient Billy Lee ride, she stormed home to collect the honours by a commanding two and three-quarter lengths. Kihavah emerged as a threat entering the final furlong, but he never looked like he was getting on terms with the Irish-trained winner, who in the process of winning, booked her ticket to the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.
Oneforthegutter stuck to his task well to finish third for Ian Williams and Joe Fanning, while Epic Poet was back in fourth for the David O'Meara team.
"It's great, I'm delighted for the lads (owners Patrick and Scott Bryceland), they came up with the idea of coming here and what a brilliant idea it was. It's just worked out really well," said de Bromhead.
"She won it well; Billy was brilliant on her."
He added: "I don't know what to say! It's amazing, it's a race you grow up watching and I never dreamt I could win – here we are. We've won it and it's incredible.
"It's an amazing race. The lads were always keen to go on the Flat. Alex Elliott, who bought her for them, has been keen to go ever since they've had her.
"We were going to go last year but it wasn't really fitting as she had a tough old season, this year it has just worked out brilliantly. The guys said, 'we'll start at the Ebor and work our way back' and that's what we did, it's incredible that it's come to fruition.
"We had to have our three runs on the Flat and we were slightly on the back foot with that, you had to have them by July 20, but it all fell into place. It's amazing, with good horses everything is just made a fraction easier.
"I love training good horses; training winners is what we want but to come to a big meeting like this is just brilliant. It's the stuff of dreams."
The victory meant Magical Zoe automatically qualified to run in the Melbourne Cup and on a potential tilt at the race that 'stops a nation', De Bromhead said: "We have a win-and-you're-in (entry) for Melbourne, so now we have to really start talking about that!"
Crystal Delight unfortunately suffered a fatal injury when leading the twenty-runner field, causing Tom Marquand to be unshipped from his mount in a nasty incident.
Trainer Harry Eustace told ITV Racing: "Everyone involved with Crystal Delight is totally and completely heartbroken. He was the most noble and kind warrior you could ever meet. We will miss him."
