Brilliant Nazeef clinches falmouth Stakes in style
dubai — The ongoing British horse racing season is turning out to be one dominated by UAE and Dubai connections.
Following a successful Royal Ascot campaign last month, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Minister of Finance, continues to enjoy success in the three-day July Festival at Newmarket.
After Al Aasy landed the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy on the opening day on Thursday, four-year-old filly Nazeef ran a remarkable race to clinch the Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes.
Godolphin’s star filly Terebellum was the odds-on favourite under celebrated Italian jockey Frankie Dettori, and looked to be on course but Nazeef, the four-yearold from Invincible Spirit, made a late charge to pip her at the post.
In what was a nail-biting finish, Nazeef, saddled by John Gosden and the mount of 2016 British Champion Jockey Jim Crowley, nudged just ahead of Billesdon Brook to win by a neck.
And while it was the first Group 1 winner for Nazeef and an astonishing sixth consecutive victory in seven starts, including the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot,
Terebellum was denied a first Group 1 winner after Charlie Appleby’s charge had finished second in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Terebellum was a neck behind Billesdon Brook and a half length adrift of Nazeef.
“She’s tough as nails and keeps improving with every run. She has a great will to win. She was caught a little flat footed but she stayed on really well,” Crowley said. Meanwhile, other UAE horses enjoyed another successful day at the races with four more victories and a couple of placings.
Wise Glory, owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, won the Cash Out At bet365 Handicap, while Ahmad Al Sheikh’s Youth Spirit triumphed in the bet365 British EBF Maiden Stakes.
Zabeel Champion, owned by Dubai businessman Jaber Abdullah, then went on to claim the bet 365 Handicap (Heritage Handicap).
Action on the second day of the festival began with Wise Glory, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, bringing in a one-two for Dubai as Godolphin’s Spectrum Of Light finished second by the finest of margins — by a head. Meanwhile, it was a clean sweep in a thrilling bet365 British EBF Maiden Stakes with Youth Spirit taking the top honours as Godolphin pair Magical Land and Naval Crown came in second and third respectively.
Youth Spirit, saddled by Andrew Balding and the mount of Oisin Murphy, won by a length over Magical Land, while Naval Crown was a nose behind his stablemate.
There was another one-two with Cape Coast, owned by Ali Saeed, winning the bet365 Trophy (Heritage Handicap) by half length over Godolphin’s Ghostwatch.
It was a one-two again in the bet 365 Handicap (Heritage Handicap) with Zabeel Champion finishing 1 ½ lengths ahead of Man Of The Night, owned by Dubai businessman Saeed Manana.
Meanwhile, Master Of The Seas will look to emulate his sire Dubawi when the two-year-old colt contests the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on the final day of the festival on Saturday.
Dubawi, the 2005 Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas champion, had won the same race back in 2004 and Master Of The Seas will look to follow in those footsteps.