Measure Of Magic and Ben Coen pictured on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Measure Of Magic justified plenty of market confidence as she ran out an impressive winner of the Listed Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes.
A dual winner last season and placed in Group 2 company at Doncaster, the Johnny Murtagh owned and trained bay returned to action with a win in the Listed Commited Stakes at Navan.
Available at 9/4 in early shows, the daughter of Kodi Bear eventually went off the even money favourite under Ben Coen.
Settled behind the leaders, she breezed through to lead a furlong and a half from home and quickened up smartly in the closing stages, going on to score impressively by three-and-a-quarter lengths. Russian River (16/1) fared best of the rest in second under Shane Crosse for Joseph O'Brien, while Teresa Mendoza (11/2) was another three parts of a length back in third.
Murtagh said afterwards: "The plan was to come here after Navan and she came out of the race very well and I was very happy with her. Jamie who rides her out every morning said she was better today and has really come forward. It was over in two strides.
"I entered her for the Commonwealth Cup (at Royal Ascot) and I think we'll give her a go now and go straight there. She has done enough here, it's a big race and Ben said she has really learned how to sprint.
"She has definitely strengthened up over the winter and has improved a bit. She was always quick and is now doing it right, settling and using that speed at the end.
"The syndicate is my own - I bought a couple of yearlings two years ago and was left with them myself. There hasn't been any interest (in buying her) yet but we are sellers!"
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
