3 minute read
Tom Clover looks to have an exciting staying prospect on his hands after Al Nayyir cantered to victory in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newmarket.
The lightly-raced six-year-old joined Tom Clover at the beginning of the season with some high-class international staying form in the book, finishing fourth in last year's Group 1 Prix du Cadran and second behind Tower Of London in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan earlier this season.
Having been denied a short-head by the Melbourne Cup-bound Vauban in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York on his stable debut, Al Nayyir was sent off a well-fancied 11/8 chance on his return to Listed level.
Ryan Moore sent Fighter, who was stepping into stakes company for the first time following his Leopardstown handicap triumph, straight into an early advantage, but he always looked to be doing plenty on the front end. Outsider Beamish took up proceedings with three furlongs to travel, but he quickly looked like a sitting duck for Al Nayyir, who once given half an inch of reign by Luke Morris, moved up effortlessly.
Tom Clover's bay sauntered into a healthy advantage inside the final furlong and while Dermot Weld's Harbour Wind set off in hot pursuit, he never looked like being able to lay a glove on the eventual winner, who cantered to a wide-margin eight-length success on the rain-softened ground.
"He's a very exciting stayer," said Clover. "I just couldn't be more thrilled."
Paddy Power cut the winner in half to 7/1 (from 14s) for the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on Champions Day and Clover confirmed that remains his intention.
"I imagine the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day will be the next logical step, but if we could avoid Kyprios that would be nice. He's a very exciting horse for though and I'm just so pleased for the owner."
"The form from York, when just getting beaten by Vauban looks very strong. He's just a hugely exciting horse, he's been placed at Group 1 level previously and probably deserves to win one at some stage."
On the importance of the horse for his stable, Clover added: "He's rated a 114 so he's our highest-rated horse. We absolutely love having stakes horses in the yard, so to be able to have horses of this calibre is just thrilling."