Dubai: Postponed showed why he is regarded as the best middle distance horse in the world when hammering his rivals to win the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup (Group 1) at Epsom Racecourse on Saturday.
Owned by Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum, who won the Epsom Derby in 1998 with High-Rise, the brilliant five-year-old son of Dubawi, produced a dominant display to cross the finish line four and a half lengths clear of 2015 Breeders Cup Turf scorer Found.
Winning of the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) at Meydan in March, and the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) at Royal Ascot in 2015, Postponed was recording a sixth Group race career victory and third at the highest level.
The Coronation Cup, which was established in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of a new British monarch, King Edward VII. was renamed this year in honour of the Queen in the year of her 90th birthday.
Postponed was ridden with confidence by Andrea Atzeni for Newmarket handler Roger Varian.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Found had beaten last year’s Derby and Arc de Triomphe sensation Golden Horn in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Atzeni, who has ridden the champion in all but one of her eight starts, told Channel 4 Racing: “He’s just a proper horse. He travelled great, goes on any ground and quickened up fantastically. He’s a great horse to ride and I’m very lucky to ride him.”
Shaikh Mohammad Obaid added: “I’m really proud of this horse and since he joined Roger, I think he has improved.
“Whatever people say, all the credit goes to Roger and his staff. If he’s sound, he’ll go back next year for the Sheema Classic.”
Postponed is also expected to defend his title in the King George on July 23. He is also liked to contest October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France.
Varian said: “Jack [Mitchell] did a super job [on Roseburg] as he just kept an even pace.
“Postponed is a remarkably versatile horse — he handles different grounds, different pace and different tracks.
“He’s a very balanced horse and he’s really the ultimate athlete.
“The timing always felt right to come here and then go straight to the King George.”
O’Brien said of the runner-up, Found: “She ran very well and we’re very happy with the run.
“It was a very slowly-run race and obviously she likes a nicely-run race as that’s when she’s always at her best, but Ryan [Moore] was very happy with her.
“She’d have no problem with faster ground. I think she could go to Royal Ascot, it’s very possible, and I’d say if she does it will be the Prince of Wales.”
