Khalifa Sat moving into his own orbit

Emirati owner has designs on St Leger, Melbourne Cup and Sheema Classic

The dream lives on for Dubai horse owner Ahmad Al Shaikh after his stable star Khalifa Sat ran an outstanding race to finish second in the Group 1 Investec Derby at Epsom racecourse in Surrey on Saturday.

Partnered by Tom Marquand, the 50-1 outsider chased eventual winner Serpentine throughout the 2,400-metre contest and held on resolutely to deny his more fancied rivals, including big favourites Kameko (Oisin Murphy) and English King (Frankie Dettori).

Al Shaikh, who acquired the Irish-bred son of Free Eagle for a sum of £40,000 as a yearling, revealed that the colt will now be targeted at all the major staying races in the world, including the St Leger (Doncaster, September 12), Melbourne Cup (Flemington, November 3) and Dubai Sheema Classic (Meydan, March 27, 2021).

“I had a dream, not of winning the Derby, but to see my horse finish among the top five in the race,” he told Gulf News yesterday. “But to finish second in such a prestigious race with so many good horses is beyond my wildest dreams.

“This is an unforgettable result, my best ever. Obviously

Khalifa Sat gets his name from one of the world’s most technologically advanced remote sensing observation satellites.

I’m so excited about where we can go next with Khalifa Sat, who has proven that he’s a genuine stayer. It’s still early days but obviously all the world’s top races around 2,800 metres, and above, will be considered.

Special horse

“When we bought him, with the help of Andrew (Balding, his trainer), he told me that this horse would be special. And Khalifa Sat has lived up to that boast. I’m so happy for Andrew as well.”

Khalifa Sat gets his name from one of the world’s most technologically advanced remote sensing observation satellites — and the first 100 per cent designed and manufactured in the UAE at the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai.

“When I first heard about the launch of the space station I submitted the name with the Jockey Club and paid the fee to reserve the name,” revealed Al Shaikh. “He has lived up to the exalted name in just a matter of four races, two of which he has won at Goodwood last year.”