Dubai: Godolphin’s Cavalryman claimed the second Group 3 victory of his eight-year-old campaign when scoring a courageous victory in the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes on a profitable opening day’s racing for Dubai-owned horses at Newmarket’s July Festival.
Given a cunning ride by Silvestre de Sousa, the Saeed Bin Surour-trained son of Halling stayed on strongly in blustery conditions to willingly hold off Hillstar by a neck in the 2,400-metre contest.
De Sousa was happy to dictate the pace at the head of the six-strong field and the tactics paid off as Cavalryman wallowed in the soft ground to post his eighth career victory and first at British racing’s headquarters.
“It wasn’t the plan to make the running, but I had no choice and it was quite enjoyable for him to be in front, so I just let him do the work,” the Brazilian told Channel 4 Racing.
“He’s a horse for a mile and six and two miles, so I was happy with the position I was in. He’s very tough and genuine. He has been unlucky, but he’s come back.
“I’m just delighted for him to come here and get his head in front.”
Bin Suroor was delighted to win Britain’s prestigious all-aged races for the first time and said: “He always runs well fresh, as he showed in Dubai. Silvestre knows the horse, and he didn’t fight him early on.
“His best trip is a mile and six, but he goes on every ground and he has won over further, and won a Group One in France.
“His next race will be the Goodwood Cup, and we’ll keep our options open for going back for another try at the Melbourne Cup.”
Meanwhile, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, scored a double with the Mark Johnston-trained Hartnell and Torchlighter.
Hartnell earned himself a shot at Classic glory when making all to win the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy, while Torchlighter landed a Bobis Handicap.
Johnston said that Hartnell, who is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, would take his chance in the English St. Leger (G1), the oldest and last of Britain’s five Classics.
“The St Leger has got to be the target. We were thinking of that even at the beginning of the year,” he told Channel 4 Racing.
“Ground may be an issue as he has run his best races with some cut in the ground. The Leger has to be the No.1 target.”
“Joe said he gave him a much better feel there [Newmarket] than he did at Ascot. He wonders a little bit now whether the two miles there was stretching him a little bit,” he told Channel 4 Racing.
“He burst clear so comfortably at Ascot and said today that two down he couldn’t see anything getting past him. He had plenty left in the tank, he never flicked his stick at all and the horse went as straight as a gun barrel. That’s the horse we thought we had.”
Hartnell was cut to 12/1 from 14/1 by Sky Bet for the St Leger (September 13) and spokesman Michael Shinners said: “He was impressive enough but he got the run of the race and we’re happy to lay him at present.”
