Lope De Vega conjures up fourth Group 1 scorer with Vega Magic

A year after Belardo recorded a second top-flight success in the Lockinge Stakes, another of Lope De Vega's sons, Vega Magic, struck it rich in the prestigious 6f Darley Goodwood sprint at Morphettville to become his sire's fourth Group 1 winner, and first in the southern hemisphere.

Upsides rounding the home turn, jockey Craig William kept Vega Magic up to his work to win by three-quarters of a length from three-year-old Fastnet Rock filly Missrock, with the Any Given Saturday gelding Casino Wizard a half-length back in third.

Now co-trained by David and his son Ben Hayes, together with Tom Dabernig, Vega Magic looks set for a tilt at The Everest later in the year.

Bred by the Daly family, the four-year-old Vega Magic was the first of four Lope De Vega foals out of the Magic Albert mare Admirable, who has also produced the once-raced three-year-old filly Vega Dior, and a yearling colt. She is currently in foal to Shooting To Win.

Admirable is out of a sister to the 1979 Golden Slipper winner Century Miss.

Lope De Vega's four top-flight winners have won over a range of distances on turf, as he also sired The Right Man, who won the 6f Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan at March, and Jemayel, who won the 1m2f Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville last year.

Belardo was first off the mark for his sire when he won the 2014 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Lope De Vega, a 10-year-old son of Shamardal, is standing his seventh season at Ballylinch Stud at a career-high fee of €50,000.

He spent four years shuttling to Patinack Farm from 2011, meaning his final southern hemisphere crop will turn two on August 1.