Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance was narrowly denied a hat-trick of wins on the opening day of Newmarket’s high-profile Cambridgeshire meeting when Tasleet was beaten by a nose in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes.
With Paul Hanagan riding a confident race aboard the William Haggas-trained Juvenile it looked like the feat would be achieved with just a furlong to run in the seven furlong feature.
But veteran jockey Kevin Manning timed his run aboard the favourite Sanus Per Aquam to perfection and caught Tasleet right on the line.
The win provided both Manning and his long-time boss, Jim Bolger, with a first success in the contest which often results in the leading performers heading to the prestigious Dewhurst Stakes (G1) or the Racing Post Trophy (G1).
Earlier, Mustajeer gained revenge on his Doncaster conqueror Linguistic to land the FBF Stallions Maiden Stakes in impressive fashion,
Ridden confidently by Paul Hanagan in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan, the Shadwell-bred two-year-old colt resolutely held off the Godolphin-owned Linguistic to prevail by two lengths.
Trainer Barry Hills was delighted the winner’s attitude and said: “He gallops and stays and ran a nice race at Doncaster. Paul (Hanagan) said he had a job pulling him up that day. He has done well since then.
“He is still a little bit on the weak side and he won’t run again this year.”
Shaikh Hamdan went on to complete a quick double when Bathos took his unbeaten steak to four wins by winning the Nursery Handicap.
Having what was the ninth start of the season, the two-year-old son of Poet’s Voice show no signs of wear-and-tear as he galloped to a game 1 1/4length victory over Southdown Land in the capable hands of William Buick.
Winning trainer Mark Johnston commented: “There are not many that win four nurseries in a row. There are no great plans at the moment, as he has a way to go.
“He will be a lovely horse for next year and he has a bit of size and scope about him. He seemed to handle that ground and has got tons of stamina.”
Meanwhile, Godolphin rider James Doyle, who picked up a 14-day whip ban. was cleared to ride at next moneth’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting.
Doyle got the go-ahead to ride Longchamp on October 4 as a result of their being no Flat racing in Britain on the day.
The ban was handed out at Kempton on Monday when the stewards found him guilt of ‘using his whip when clearly winning,’ aboard East Indies.