Hot favourite New Approach, owned by Princess Haya Bint Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was edged out by fellow Irish raider Henrythenavigator at Newmarket on Saturday in the English 2,000 Guineas, the opening classic of the European season.
Ridden by Johnny Murtagh for trainer Aidan O'Brien, 11-1 chance Henrythenavigator took up the running from the trail-blazing New Approach with 100 metres to run and held on by a nose, the narrowest of margins.
Third place, four lengths away in the 15-strong field, went to 100-1 outsider Stubbs Art, ridden by Seb Sanders.
It was a fifth win in the 2,000 Guineas for master trainer O'Brien and a fine start to Murtagh's new job as stable jockey in the absence of Kieren Fallon, currently banned from racing for a drugs offence.
Princess Haya, watching New Approach race in her colours for the first time and on her 34th birthday, said: "He was wonderful and I think everyone was very happy with him. Johnny came up a bit quick on us and our horse was coming back at him. In a few more strides who knows?"
Henrythenavigator won at Royal Ascot last year but was then beaten in his final two races.
Murtagh told Channel 4 Racing as he took the colt back to the winner's enclosure on Saturday: "He really answered the call in the last couple of strides."
New Approach, unbeaten in his five previous races for trainer Jim Bolger, tried to make all the running under jockey Kevin Manning in the 1 mile (1.6km) classic only to be denied in the closing stages of what was the 200th running of the classic.
O'Brien and Murtagh seek more success in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas for fillies when they team up with 10-1 chance Kitty Matcham, winner of her last two races.
French raider Natagora, the mount of Christophe Lemaire, is likely to start around 3-1 favourite to follow up her victory at Newmarket in last season's Cheveley Park Stakes.
There was further disappointment for Dubai connections as Godolphin's Ibn Khaldun, backed into 7-2 second favourite on the track, could find no repeat of his two-year-old form and was under pressure after half a mile. Frankie Dettori worked the colt hard but he ran flat and faded badly to finish 10th, some 15 lengths adrift of the winner.
