Scorching Heat, ridden by jockey Oisin Murphy extends lead on its way to win the Qatar Stewards’ Sprint Handicap event of the Qatar Goodwood Festival in West Sussex, England yesterday.
Andrew Balding enjoyed a memorable Qatar Goodwood Festival, and moved to the head of the leading trainer award when Scorching Heat won the Qatar Stewards’ Sprint Handicap and became his third winner of the week at the at the Goodwood Racecourse in West Sussex, England yesterday.
Loudly cheered by racegoers enjoying a sunny interlude in what is likely to be a showery day, the favourite burst into the lead inside the final furlong and won by three-quarters of a length from Tommy G and Son Of Africa. Royal Brave was fourth, and those studying the result with the draw and today’s Qatar Stewards’ Cup in mind will be confused by the finishing order - Scorching Heat came from stall 12, Tommy G 18, Son Of Africa 3 and Royal Brave 2.
The first four finished in the middle of the track, and Oisin Murphy, who rode the winner in the colours of Qatar Racing, said: “I didn’t know where the best ground would be, but when I cantered to the start I noticed tyre tracks or something similar in the middle, as though Jeeps had been there, and I just thought any divots that would be there might have been knocked down.
As soon as trainer Andrew Balding bagged a third winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in the day five opener, Mark Johnston matched the achievement with Soldier in Action in the mile and six furlongs Qatar Summer Handicap, the horse getting up on the line to beat Blakeney Point by a head.
Although Johnston, a 10-time leading trainer at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, matched Balding with a third winner this week, the Hampshire-based Balding is still ahead on count back.
Crystal Ocean put clear water between himself and four rivals to run out an impressive winner of today’s G3 Qatar Gordon Stakes. He became the 10th winner of the famous race for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who won it last year with Ulysses.
Hertfordshire trainer Dean Ivory saddled his first Qatar Goodwood Festival winner yesterday, and in one of the meeting’s feature races.
Victory for the Ivory-trained Lancelot Du Lac in the £250,000 Qatar Stewards’ Cup over six furlongs was a second win in the contest for jockey Frankie Dettori, who succeeded on Magical Memory in 2015.
Mark Johnston took the leading trainer award at the Qatar Goodwood Festival with four winners. It was the 11th time that the Middleham-based trainer has been the most successful trainer at the five-day meeting.
Johnston’s fourth winner of the week came courtesy of Dee Ex Bee, a Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum-owned and Godolphin-bred son of Farhh from the family of Dubai Millennium, who won the seven-furlong Qatar EBF Stallions Maiden in good style by two and a quarter lengths in 1m 28.62s.
Meanwhile, champion jockey-elect Silvestre De Sousa rode a 188/1 treble on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival 2017, completing the set on Battered in the Qatar Handicap over seven furlongs.
Al Shaqab Executive Director, Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Attiyah confirmed that the there has been no decline in Al Shaqab’s results in this edition of the Qatar Goodwood Festival given the number of runners Al Shaqab had in this edition.
“Even Zelzal, who ran in Qatar International Stakes (Gr 1 P/A), didn’t win because of the soft ground. We were also concerned about Al Jazi’s participation yesterday with the soft ground, but she imposed herself and won the Group Three seven-furlong L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes,” Al Attiyah said.
Assistant Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Qatar in the UK, Fahad Mohammed Al Kuwari said: “We, as Qataris, are pleased with QREC’s sponsorship of the Qatar Goodwood Festival as a one of prestigious racing events worldwide and not only in England. It was very interesting to see the huge turnout over the five days of the Festival, which adds to the event and the Qatari sponsorship. In addition, it was wonderful to see Qatari students here as they were invited to attend the event. QREC provided transport for them from London to Goodwood and I do thank QREC for this very good gesture.”
Hassan Al Hammadi, of QNB London, presented the trophies to the winners of the Race 5, Qatar EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.
