Ebor Handicap winner Magical Zoe snares golden ticket into the 2024 Melbourne Cup

Flemington is set for an Irish invasion on the first Tuesday in November with Magical Zoe the latest to enhance Melbourne Cup ambitions.

Billy Lee rides Magical Zoe (black/green silks) to victory in the Ebor Handicap at York overnight. Picture: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

Flemington is set for an Irish invasion on the first Tuesday in November with Magical Zoe the latest to boost Melbourne Cup ambitions.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained mare claimed the Melbourne Cup “win and you’re in” Ebor Handicap (2787m) at York in dominant style on Saturday night (AEST).

• Vauban set for second shot at Melbourne Cup

Irish stayers bound for the race that stops a nation include Willie Mullins’ pair Vauban and Absurde, who are both set to return for a second crack, along with Crystal Black, trained by Gerard Keane.

Grosvenor Square and Tower Of London, trained by maestro Aidan O’Brien, could also be in the mix.

Magical Zoe is a $15 third favourite with TAB for the Melbourne Cup behind the Ciaron Maher-trained Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire ($11), Vauban ($11) and Grosvenor Square ($13).

She is MAGICAL 🪄

𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐙𝐨𝐞 wins the £500,000 @SkyBet Ebor Handicap.@HenrydeBromhead lifts another big Flat prize!@wjlee24786 | #EborFestivalpic.twitter.com/xMIwshs5E0

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 24, 2024

• Grosvenor Square leaps into 2024 Melbourne Cup contention

De Bromhead confirmed Cup ambitions for Magical Zoe, backed into favourite for the Ebor, as she emerged a clear winner inside the last 200m in Europe’s richest handicap.

“We’d love to go to the Melbourne Cup,” de Bromhead said.

“It’s an iconic race we’d love to try and win.

“It’s a dream, I’d love to have a runner down there, I’d love to win it, and why couldn’t she?

“It’s certainly been on our minds, we had to win the Ebor, which seemed a fairly tough thing to do, and we’ve done that now [so] we can start to give it a bit more serious consideration.”

Winning jockey of the @SkyBet Ebor Handicap Billy Lee gives us his post-race reaction, after Magical Zoe's impressive performance! pic.twitter.com/Sx7gR0VZXq

— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 24, 2024

• Melbourne Cup fancy ruled out for Spring

De Bromhead has the support of Magical Zoe’s owners, Patrick and Scott Bryceland, who booked a Melbourne Cup holiday before the Ebor became reality.

“I know that Paddy wanted to go to Melbourne so we’ll see,” de Bromhead said.

“We have a win and you’re in so now we really have to start thinking about that. That’s a possibility, absolutely.”

Patrick Bryceland echoed the Melbourne Cup aspiration.

“We’re going to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup, we’re going anyway, we got another thing to think about,” Bryceland said.

“She’s a fantastic mare, a very valuable mare jumps and flat, we’re so lucky to have her.”

Originally published as Ebor Handicap winner Magical Zoe snares golden ticket into the 2024 Melbourne Cup