Champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has claimed his fourth Breeders' Cup Turf with Magician flying home to beat The Fugue at Santa Anita.

The John Gosden-trained The Fugue couldn't hold off the hard-charging Magician, who won by a half a length to lead the second European one-two of on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

"He's one of the best horses I've ridden in a long time," jockey Ryan Moore said.

"I was a little farther back than I wanted to be because he got a bump at the turn and he lost his back end, but he levelled off nicely, got his balance. From there he took me where I wanted to be."

O'Brien credited owner Michael Tabor with suggesting that Magician take on the mile and a half (2400m).

"It's been a job well done by the team to achieve this," O'Brien said.

Moore will now travel to Australia to ride Dandino in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.