Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco)
(British Champions Series) Handicap, Ascot 15:45 £250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2
Saturday 17th October 2015

1 Musaddas 7/1
2 Gm Hopkins 10/1
3 Master The World 14/1
4 Donncha 20/1
20 ran Distances: 1½l, 1¾l, 1¾l
TIME 1m 40.84s (slow by 2.04s)

A huge day for Eddie Greatrex as Musaddas lands the Balmoral Handicap

Musaddas
© Racehorse Photos

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Musaddas registered an all the way success in the final race on QIPCO British Champions Day.

The 7/1 shot broke well from the stalls and was immediately sent to the front by his apprentice rider Edward Greatrex. The five-year-old then repelled all challengers to win by a comfortable length and a half.

Saeed bin Suroor said: "He is good when he is out in front and able to lead. It was my plan to go out in front but he was given a great ride.

"I said to the jockey that when he jumps out of the stalls, be in front all the way and you have a chance to win. Luckily he was in a good position all the way, he finished his race well. We will now assess where we go from here."

The Newmarket trained added: "He will not run again this season but he is a horse to look forward to next season."

John Ferguson, representing owner Sheikh Mohammed, commented: "The horse jumped off and made the running and stayed on really well.

"These Exceed And Excel's love to be out in front. I was a bit worried that the ground would be a bit too soft for him but he handled it really well.

"He is a free running horse so it made sense to go out in front. He has progressed through the handicap ranks and we will see where we go with him.

"Today is an important day to have a winner. We hit the crossbar a couple of time but it is nice to have a winner."

John Gosden said the handicapper may have just got the better of GM Hopkins and he was very pleased with his second in the QIPCO Balmoral Handicap where he finished a length and half adrift of the Godolphin-owned Musaddas.

GM Hopkins
© Racehorse Photos

"We are really thrilled with his run; a great performance obviously giving bundles of weight to the winner but we couldn't be happier with him and he really likes this track, but the handicapper has got him at the moment."

GM Hopkins, who landed the Royal Hunt Cup over course and distance at Royal Ascot, was last seen finishing sixth in Betfred Cambridgeshire in September and Gosden said he wants to continue to target the big handicaps with the Dubawi colt: "I hope we can run in other handicaps in the future and not go to France for silly listed races. He finished the race very well and we couldn't be more happy with him."

Master The World, who previously finished seventh of nine at Newmarket in Group Three company, pleased trainer David Elsworth with his third, finishing a length and three quarters behind the second horse.

Elsworth said: "Yes we are pleased. The second horse mugged us for second. We were a bit disenchanted with last year's run after his second in the Cambridgeshire but he has very much redeemed himself and he ran a sound race and we are pleased."

Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco)
£250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2
20 ran
Going: Good to soft, soft in places on round course