3 minute read
Qatar's leading horse Dubday provided the nation with its first winner in Britain when successful at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in the first race on the fourth day, holding off 15/8 favourite The Corsican in the Group Three Betfred Glorious Stakes.
Dubday won Qatar's most prestigious race, the HH The Emir's Trophy, for the second time at Doha in February and has acquitted himself well in two Listed contests in Britain this summer. He was second to Telescope at Newbury in May and was beaten a head by Gospel Choir at Newmarket on June 27.
"I am delighted Dubday has won as it is my first winner outside Qatar," said winning-trainer Jassim Ghazali. "Dubday is a champion in Qatar and is a favourite for so many people.
"He has run two good races already in Britain, coming second both times, and it is special to win today's race under the name of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Winning a Group race in Britain is never easy and I am thankful my horse has been able to do it. He is a special horse.
"Well done for my country - I give this winner for all of my country and I say thank you to Sheikh Joaan for giving me the chance to come here to run horses.
"I hope that we can bring over 30 horses next year."
Winning rider Frankie Dettori, celebrating his third success of the meeting, said: "It's the first winner for Qatar in the UK and I take my hat off to Jassim, who has done a fabulous job with this horse. I am so proud for the team, well done. It means a lot for everyone. This was the main target and it has come off.
"I thought it was going to be a bit tricky, so I angled him out wide and, in fairness, he picked up really well - he just idles a bit in front- but when he heard The Corsican coming he put his head down and ran on. He showed guts and determination and is a decent horse. He is the local strar in Qatar.
"It's a great victory for us, with the first horse from Qatar to win a Group race in England. It's fantastic. Qatar is sponsoring this meeting, we have had a fabulous season, and it was a big achievement to take this horse from Qatar to here and win."
Trainer David Simcock had to watch and suffer when his horse, The Corsican, finished runner-up in the Betfred Glorious Stakes.
Sent off the 15/8 favourite after a tip-top run at Royal Ascot, The Corsican became caught behind a line of horses approaching the two-furlong marker, and while he eventually gained a clear run he could not reel in winner Dubday, who had stolen a march under Frankie Dettori. The frustration for Simcock would have been shared by jockey Jim Crowley, who was riding his fourth runner-up at this week's Qatar Goodwood Festival.
After The Corsican had finished three-quarters of a length second, Simcock acknowledged that Dubday had been a game winner, saying: "It happens here at Goodwood. Our horse has run really well and picked up well, but the other horse Dubday has gone again when we got to his quarters. We were level with third-placed Windshear, but we've gone away from him, but the winner went too.
"Ours is an improving horse and he's run extremely well and fair play to him."
Windshear was unplaced in the Ascot Gold Cup last time out, but dropped back in trip he proved as reliable as ever, and trainer Richard Hannon said: "He's back to his best - his form was tailing off a little bit, and it's nice to see him come back. There are lots of nice races for him in the autumn and he's in the Ebor which we will look at - although it will have a lot of runners.
"At Ascot he didn't get the trip - it was too far and they were too good!"
