Mickdaam comes good in thrilling Chester Vase

Dubai: Mickdaam franked his UAE Derby (G2) form to win a thrilling renewal of the Chester Vase at the vintage Roodee racecourse yesterday.

The son of Dubawi, who was trained by South African handler Mike de Kock when based in Dubai earlier this year, battled hard under jockey Tony Hamilton to prevail by a nose from the Michael Hills-ridden Model Pupil.

The Chester Vase, which is run over 2,400 metres, serves as a trial for the Derby (G1), and yesterday's performance will have secured him a ticket for the Epsom showpiece which takes place in three weeks.

The last horse to successfully use the Vase as a stepping stone to the Derby was Quest for Fame, who won at Epsom in 1990.

Mickdaam, who also won the Listed Al Batakiya during the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, is owned by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

Fahey, the North Yorkshire-based handler, told Channel 4 Racing: "I thought he handled the conditions very well. He'd only been back 12 days when he ran at Newmarket last month, so he was entitled to come on for that.

"It will be fantastic to run him in the Derby."

Bookmakers Paddy Power cut the colt to 33-1 (from 50-1) for the Derby on June 2.

‘Good to get it'

Winning jockey Hamilton added: "When we pulled up we weren't sure who'd won, so it's good to get it. He's a brave horse and he's quite lazy, so I knew he'd stay well.

"I wasn't sure about the ground but I took it up a long way down and I knew he'd keep galloping."

Earlier in the afternoon, the Marco Botti-trained Marcret, who finished third in the Al Rashidiya (G2) at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, landed the Group Three Huxley Stakes over 2,000 metres.

A prolific winner in Italy Marcet scored by half a length from Fahey's Myplacelater, while Wigmore Hall, another horse to have raced successfully at Meydan, was third.