Darley Dewhurst Stakes |
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| Group 1, Newmarket 15:00 £500,000 added, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 14th October 2017 | |
1 US Navy Flag 5/1
2 Mendelssohn 50/1
3 Seahenge 9/1
9 ran Distances: 2½l, 2½l, hd
Time: 1m 22.37s (fast by 0.13s)
US Navy Flag leads home a Ballydoyle 1 2 3 4
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US Navy Flag was a 5-1 shot to secure a second Group One on the bounce following his Middle Park Stakes triumph a fortnight ago.
Ryan Moore controlled the pace from the front before kicking for home and U S Navy Flag readily brushed aside his opponents to claim an impressive two-and-a-half-length victory.
Stablemates Mendelssohn, Seahenge and Threeandfourpence finished second, third and fourth respectively.
US Navy Flag provided O'Brien with a 24th top-flight success of 2016, leaving him just one short of the record set by American trainer Bobby Frankel in 2003.
Moore told ITV Racing: "He's been a remarkable horse. From the middle of the summer we've started to work him out.
"He's very tough. I thought it was going to be a very good Dewhurst.
"To win a Middle Park and then to come and win a Dewhurst is great and he was strong at the line.
"It's a massive feat again, what Aidan has done."
US Navy Flag is a full-sister to Roly Poly, who secured her third successive top-level win in last weekend's Sun Chariot Stakes.
"They're amazingly similar," Moore added.
"Neither of them are the biggest, but they'll both give you absolutely everything. This lad would have a little more substance about him.
"They both seem to keep getting better every time they come to the track."
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Connections of the disappointing Expert Eye remained baffled by his performance the following day.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained juvenile looked a potential superstar when winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
With that form working out incredibly well as James Garfield subsequently won the Mill Reef Stakes and Seahenge the Champagne Stakes, confidence was high going into the Group One.
However, Expert Eye, having raced a little keenly early on, was one of the first beaten under Andrea Atzeni and he trailed home last of the nine runners.
It was initially reported he was lame on his right hind, but he later trotted up sound.
"Everything is fine with him this morning," said Teddy Grimthorpe, owner Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, on Sunday.
Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1)
£500,000 added, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good (Good to Firm in places)
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (1) | U S Navy Flag (USA) 5/1 | R L Moore 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 2 | |
| 2nd | (7) | 2½ | Mendelssohn (USA) 50/1 | W M Lordan 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 3rd | (9) | 2½ | Seahenge (USA) 9/1 | D O'Brien 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 4th | (6) | hd | Threeandfourpence (USA) 20/1 | J A Heffernan 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 5th | (4) | 1½ | Cardsharp 20/1 | James Doyle 9-1 |
M Johnston | 2 |
| 6th | (3) | ¾ | Great Prospector (IRE) 50/1 | P Hanagan 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 2 |
| 7th | (8) | 2 | Theobald (IRE) 33/1 | K J Manning 9-1 |
J S Bolger | 2 |
| 8th | (2) | s.h | Emaraaty 6/1 | Jim Crowley 9-1 |
J H M Gosden | 2 |
| 9th | (5) | 1 | Expert Eye 4/7f | Andrea Atzeni 9-1 |
Sir Michael Stoute | 2 |
