Dubai: Ortensia ended Australia's seven-year wait for a victory at the Dubai World Cup meeting by coming from last to first with a rattling run to win a thrilling renewal of the Al Quoz Sprint (G1).
Run over a straight 1,000 metres on turf, the race is the shortest of the night and is the equine equivalent of the 100m sprint.
Jockey Craig Williams judged the pace to perfection and produced Ortensia inside the final furlong to deny Johnny Murtagh aboard Sole Power by one-and-a-quarter lengths, while 2010 winner Joy And Fun was a quarter of a length back in third under former UAE champion jockey Brett Doyle.
The winner was trained by Paul Messara, the son of Arrowfield supremo John Messara, who is credited with bringing the great stallion Danehill to Australia.
Messara was thrilled to give Australia their first Dubai success since Elvstroem won the Dubai Duty Free in 2005, saying: "She was last practically and for her to plough her way through is characteristic of her. I can't believe it, I need to sit down and let the feeling sink in. She was under pressure all along, but she showed her class and we are delighted. For sure, she is headed to the Royal Ascot."
Williams, a multiple champion in Australia who was also based in Dubai as stable jockey to John Sadler in 2002, said: "We knew her strengths and her weaknesses and we decided to let her run according to these. We saw her dominating the field on earlier occasions and I was confident she would give it all she had tonight as well. Ascot, here we come.
Clear momentum
"Most importantly for her was we wanted to come on the outside and give a clear momentum. I didn't want to get in the scrummage and she delivered.
"This is a fantastic win. Racing in Australia is thriving at the moment and here is another example. She's fantastic, she holds a special place in my heart and in my racing career so far. You guys still haven't seen Black Caviar or Hallis, so it's pretty exciting for Australian racing."
Alister Fraser, joint owner of Ortensia, could not control his emotions. "Full credit to trainer and jockey, they did a marvellous job. To be here to compete is amazing but to win is beyond our wildest dreams," he said.
"I thank everyone for inviting us and the Dubai public for having us. It has been smooth ever since we got here. Nothing has gone wrong, everything we wanted has been catered for. I just wish I have another horse to bring back next year."
Fraser confirmed that the six-year-old Australia-bred mare will be aimed at the sprint races at Royal Ascot in July.
"She definitely goes to England now. If she pulls up sound we'll wait and see then she goes to England for a couple of runs and then she's retired. She's been with us since a yearling. There have been a lot of highs and lot of lows as there is in racing, but tonight makes it all worthwhile," he said.
Sole Power jockey Johnny Murtagh said: "I thought I had it won. The Australian mare just flew past me."
— With additional inputs from Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter, and Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter
