1 Arabian Queen 4/1
2 High Celebrity 4/9F
3 Tongue Twista 50/1
NR: I Am Beautiful (IRE)
5 ran Distances: 1¼l, 3l, hd
TIME 1m 15.14s (slow by 5.04s)

Arabian Queen sees off French raider High Celebrity to win the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket

Arabian Queen

Odds-on French raider High Celebrity had to make do with minor honours as Ryan Moore steered Arabian Queen to victory.

With just five runners going to post for the Group Two contest, Andre Fabre's Chantilly maiden winner High Celebrity was all the rage as the 4-9 favourite and was ridden with confidence by Maxime Guyon.

David Elsworth's Queen Mary sixth Arabian Queen, on1 the other hand, was sent straight to the lead by Moore on her first attempt at six furlongs. Moore began to wind up the gallop from over two furlongs down and although Guyon tracked the move aboard the market leader, she was unable to reel in the leader.

With the rail to guid her, 4-1 shot Arabian Queen found plenty for pressure to score by a length and a quarter. Tongue Twista was a long way back in third.

Moore, completing a double after scoring aboard Nakuti in the opening fillies' handicap, said: "She jumped out of the stalls well and she probably won't get the credit she deserves, but she's probably a fairly good filly. Her mother (Barshiba) was very good and got better as she got older, so hopefully she will as well."

Elsworth said: "She was probably unlucky at Ascot with the draw, but she came good today. We kept it simple, I said to get her in a rhythm and ride her whatever way you like. She 's very easy, she settles and Ryan got it right."

Arabian Queen's owner Jeff Smith said: "We could look at the Lowther at York next, and her main aim will be the Cheveley Park."

Elsworth already has one eye on next year's 1000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile.

He said: "I think she'll stay a mile, and I believe there's a Group One in Newmarket next spring."

Fabre was not too disappointed with the runner-up. He said: "She had only had one run so there was the lack of experience. At one point I thought she was going to win easily, but Maxime said the ground didn't help her.

"We have a different programme for two-year-olds in France and this was a big step. In all I'm a bit disappointed, but on the other hand I'm happy.

Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored By Qipco)
(Formerly The Cherry Hinton Stakes) (Fillies' Group 2)
£80,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Soft