Aidan O’Brien reports Magic Wand in good form ahead of her bid for glory in the Longines Hong Kong Cup this weekend.

The globetrotting daughter of Galileo was last seen claiming top-level honours in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington in Australia in early November - her first Group One success having previously been placed in races like the Irish Champion Stakes and the Pegasus World Cup.

She will bid to provide her trainer with a very first Hong Kong Cup success, while her stablemates Anthony Van Dyck and Mount Everest give O’Brien a strong hand in the Hong Kong Vase – a race he won twice with Highland Reel (2015 and 2017).

Magic Wand worked on the all-weather track on Wednesday morning under the watchful eye of O’Brien’s long-time travelling head lad Pat Keating, while Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck and Mount Everest cantered for a lap.

Speaking by telephone, O’Brien said: “I think they’ll do a canter on the grass on Thursday morning, but they don’t need much because obviously we think they’re in good shape.

“Pat travelled out with them, as well as Michael (De Aguiar), Dean (Gallagher), Yvonne (Zurcher) along with Sarah (O’Brien) and Ana (O’Brien), they’re all very happy with them.”

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