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Williams hoping for some Gold Cup Magic
Posted in: Royal Ascot News
Ian Williams is confident that Magic Circle has bounced back to full fitness ahead of a tilt at this month's Ascot Gold Cup.
The seven-year-old very much looked a stayer to follow when winning last year's Chester Cup, but broke a blood vessel when winning the Henry II Stakes at Sandown on his next start in May 2018, ruling him out of the vast majority of last season.
Magic Circle pulls off his greatest trick to give @ianwilliamsraci and @drmarwanK another win in the 188Bet Chester Cup
Results ▶️ https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/GGVImsSa5x
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 11, 2018
As a result of the form he'd shown six months previous, Magic Circle wasn't without his supporters for the Melbourne Cup last November, being sent off as a 6/1 shot, but he ultimately disappointed, finishing down the field.
Magic Circle offered plenty to work with when finishing third over an inadequate trip on reappearance in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month, and although poor blood tests denied him the chance to defend his crown in the Henry II Stakes later that month, Williams is confident that he is back on track.
He said: “He worked for the first time today since his poor blood tests prior to the Henry II Stakes at Sandown and worked very well. We’re happy with the rain coming and his progress towards the Ascot Gold Cup.
“His run over an inadequate trip at Chester showed him to be in good form but it’s going to be a huge test. Stradivarius is the stayer of the moment but Magic Circle has got some great form and could run well.
“The Melbourne Cup is on the agenda again but he’d have to be in a similar sort of form as he was prior to going last year. We’d probably take our approach to the race differently this year but that’s where we’d like to end up in November.”
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