Dettori scoops Group 1 win

Newmarket, England: Godolphin jockey Frankie Dettori supplied Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, with a rare Group 1 success at Newmarket yesterday.

The Italian rider showed why he is feared by his rivals with a top-drawer effort aboard the promising filly Nahoodh to land the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes.

The three-year-old, who has was campaigned in most of the major races this summer by trainer Mick Channon, was having only her second run for new boss Mark Johnston.

A change of trainer resulted in a change of fortunes for Nahoodh, an impressive length and three quarter winner over John Gosden's Infallible, runner-up to Lush Lashes in the Coronation Stakes (Group 1) at Royal Ascot last month.

A further three-quarters further back was the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Heaven Sent.

The stewards called an inquiry after the race, as Ryan Moore had to check Heaven Sent close home, but the placings remained unchanged.

Late challenge

In a field missing ante-post favourite Darjina due to the softening ground, the Mark Johnston trained Nahoodh was held up by Dettori before delivering his challenge coming into the dip.

Johnston said: "We didn't come here looking for this ground but Mick Channon's staff told my staff she'd handle it. Frankie told me before today that she would be better over seven and it wasn't until two days ago that we decided to run. We'll be looking at all the big seven furlong and mile races for her. They say one swallow doesn't make a summer, but when it is big enough it does.

"Through June and the beginning of July we were running at around a third-placed, which is normal, but we didn't have the winners. But a Group One winner makes a big difference."

Seachange to retire

Trainer Graeme Sanders was delighted with the effort of New Zealand hope Seachange, who ran well to take fourth.

He said: "If we hadn't seen so much rain we would have been closer but we probably wouldn't have won and I'm very proud of her. She was only put in the July Cup on Friday as a precaution and will now be retired."

Purebred Arabian Bernard scores a 1-2

Nashwan Al Khalidiah helped trainer Jean-Francois Bernard score a 1-2 in the UAE President Cup-Hydra properties Group 1 race for Purebred Arabians at a rain-hit Newmarket racecourse yesterday. Stablemate Simmbad was second and Mu'azzaz third.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan along with Dr. Sulaiman Al Fahim, CEO of Hydra properties and Sultan Abdullah Al Marzouki, Secretary general of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation and Lara Sawaya, Managing Director of Tasweeq gave away the trophies to the winning connections.

"Once again we witnessed the large support for this only Purebred Arabian race in today's featured race meeting. We will continue to extend our support for equestrian events," said Dr. Al Fahim.

"Despite the damp weather the large crowd have got a taste of the UAE equestrian events and Hydra Properties," said Sawaya.