Dubai: Victory may have eluded the Dubai challengers in Saturday’s St. Leger (Group 1) at Doncaster but there was plenty to cheer for Emirati trainer Saeed Bin Surour who enjoyed wins at Lingfield and Chelmsford City racecourses.
Irish-trained Kew Gardens provided trainer-jockey combination of Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with a comfortable second successive victory in a race that is the oldest of Britain’s five Classics and the final leg of the English Triple Crown.
Dee Ex Bee, the Epsom Derby (G1) runner-up owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, finished fourth, with Godolphin’s Old Persian, winner of the Great Voltigeur (G2) at York last month staying on for fifth place in the gruelling 2,800 metre contest.
Godolphin’s second hope, Loxley, was in 10th place.
Ridden by William Buick, Old Persian looked to have every chance as the field straightened for the run to the judge, before he was passed by Kew Gardens at the two furlong mark.
Lah Ti Dar, the favourite ridden by mount of Frankie Dettori, chased the winner home while 20/1 Southern France, snatched third place.
“It was very smooth. He’s a very uncomplicated horse and he tries very hard,” Moore told ITV racing before hopping on a helicopter to fly to Leopardstown where he was scheduled to ride Saxon Warrior in the Irish champion Stakes (G1).
He’s got a great attitude to life and he picked up really well. He’s a super horse.”
The Group 2 Park Stakes, the support feature at Doncaster, was snapped by Mustashry in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
The winner was ridden by his stable jockey and former British champion, Jim Crowley, to deny Godolphin’s D’bai who went down by a neck.
The runner-up’s handler, Charlie Appleby commented on the Godolphin website: “It was a pleasing run from D’bai, who has shown his consistency throughout the season.
“D’bai has shown versatility throughout his career but seven furlongs looks to be his optimum distance these days.
“He will probably head back to Dubai now, with the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort (7f) — in which he was fourth earlier this year — as his main target again.”
Shaikh Hamdan also won a Conditions event at Lingfield when Rossa Ryan rode Tabarrak to victory over Salateen.
Meanwhile, Bin Surour, who is based at Godolphin Stables in Newmarket, England, sent out winners at Lingfeld and Chelmsford, courtesy Dubai Blue (Hector Crouch) and Victory Wave (Jason Watson),