Newbury, England: The importance of Dubai Duty Free's generous sponsorship at Newbury racecourse was highlighted by Saturday's Heritage Handicap winner Forte Del Marmi.
Dubai Duty Free stepped in to support the £100,000 (Dh573,250) mile-and-a-quarter race after previous sponsors pulled out.
Pointing out that Forte Del Marmi would be steered towards group races in the future, Sarah Cumani, wife of winning trainer Luca, said it was incredibly important that the new sponsors had come to the rescue.
"This is a great race that pinpoints high class horses for the future. Presvis won it for us and went on to win at group level while Drunken Sailor, who was second last year, is our Melbourne Cup horse this year," she said.
Hemmed in
It proved to be a most exciting race and those who wanted Forte Del Marmi to win would have been worried when he was well in the rear in the early stages.
But ridden with supreme confidence by former champion jockey Kieren Fallon, Forte Del Marmi weaved his way through the pack only to find himself hemmed in a furlong out.
Fortunately a gap arrived just in time for them to squeeze through on the rail and hold off Elliptical by a neck.
"He got me out of jail," Fallon said. "I don't like going round the field if I can avoid it. I waited for the gap and he had a lovely run through. I think this horse has a big future."
Cumani, whose Fittocks Stud bred the winner, said she was hoping he would be good enough to win Australia's Cox Plate next year.
‘Calmest horse'
"He is a star. He's the coolest, calmest, most together horse you could ever meet," Cumani said.
By sponsoring the major Group Two Mill Reef Stakes, Dubai Duty Free was hoping to attract a very special horse.
And the way that Temple Meads came from last to first to win by a length and three quarters over Formosina suggested their wish came true, observers said.
Temple Meads owner John Fretwell said he favoured going for the Group One Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket next, a six-furlong contest sponsored by the breeding operation owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
