Magician taken out of Sussex Aidan O'Brien's Magician won't bid to bounce back in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood after he was taken out of the race at the latest acceptance stage. The Irish 2000 Guineas winner was hampered in the St James's Palace Stakes, before being eased home in last place as Dawn Approach edged out Toronado to the prize. As short as 8/1 for the Sussex Stakes with Paddy Power, Magician isn't among the 26 horses left in the Group One contest. However, a thrilling third clash between Dawn Approach and Toronado, the top two European three-year-old milers, remains likely on July 31. Seamus Buckley, clerk of the course at Goodwood Racecourse, said: "It would be great to get Dawn Approach and Toronado among the runners for the QIPCO Sussex Stakes - a second "Duel on the Downs" following on from Frankel and Canford Cliffs two years ago. "We have started watering because it has been extremely hot. We are watering at night to maximise the effect. "I am happy with the way the course has recovered from the early-season racing." Buckley commenced watering on Monday (July 8) to keep some moisture in the ground and maintain grass growth. Dominic Gardiner-Hill, the British Horseracing Authority handicapper responsible for milers, is eagerly looking forward to another Dawn Approach/Toronado clash. He asked: "Is anybody else getting a slight sense of "déjà vu" with the personal duel that is starting to develop between this year's top three-year-old milers Dawn Approach and Toronado? "Remember 2008 when Henrythenavigator beat Raven's Pass in the 2000 Guineas, the St James's Palace Stakes and again in the Sussex Stakes - on each occasion by a smaller margin than the previous run - only for John Gosden's colt to finally wrench away the miling crown from his old adversary in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October. "I wonder if a similar scenario is due to be played out in front of us this summer. Back to mile after the Derby debacle, Dawn Approach (124 ) landed the St James's Palace by a short-head from Richard Hannon's colt (123 ) to take the personal score between them to 2-0 but boy did Toronado make the winner work hard and many felt he was an unlucky loser. "Both suffered interference when Glory Awaits ducked left two furlongs out but some felt Toronado got the worst of it. "A performance figure of 124 for Dawn Approach was the second highest posted in the Royal Ascot race since the turn of the century with only Shamardal's 125 when winning the race at York in 2005 being higher, while Toronado's figure of 123 would have been good enough to win eight of the previous 10 runnings of the race. "They are two high class colts and will hopefully both turn up fit and well for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood for Round Three!" Despite no Magician, O'Brien is responsible for six left in the Sussex Stakes, led by Declaration Of War, winner of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and second to Al Kazeem in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park last weekend. O'Brien's other hopefuls are 2012 Group One St James's Palace Stakes victor Most Improved, 2013 Coral-Eclipse fourth Mars, Jersey Stakes winner Gale Force Ten, Reply and lightly-raced Darwin. Just The Judge, successful in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and the consistent six year-old Red Jazz could represent trainer Charlie Hills. Roger Varian's Aljamaaheer and the John Gosden-trainedpair of Gregorian and Elusive Kate finished second, third and fourth respectively in the Queen Anne Stakes, with Trade Storm (David Simcock) fifth on his European reappearance.
