Shadwell Joel Stakes
Group 2, Newmarket 15:35 £100,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
Friday 28th September 2018

1 Mustashry 15/8F
2 Zabeel Prince 100/30
3 Regal Reality 11/4
5 ran Distances: ½l, 4½l, ¾l
Time: 1m 36.89s (slow by 1.89s)

Mustashry proved too strong for his opponents

Mustashry
© Racehorse Photos

Sir Michael Stoute’s charge was the 15-8 favourite to secure successive Group Two victories following his triumph in Doncaster’s Park Stakes a fortnight ago, and he once again displayed a willing attitude in the hands of Jim Crowley.

Mustashry bounced out to make the running in the early stages of the one-mile contest before Zabeel Prince took over the lead.

The pair settled down to fight it out inside the final furlong – and while Zabeel Prince did not go down without a fight, it was Crowley’s mount who passed the post half a length to the good.

The big disappointment of the race was Accidental Agent.

Eve Johnston Houghton’s stable star caused a huge upset in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, before finishing down the field in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

This looked a good opportunity for the four-year-old to get his season back on track. But he completely fluffed the start – and although he made up some ground to join the rest of the field at the halfway stage, he ultimately finished last of the five runners.

“He's a very honest horse and we've been very lucky to get good fast ground because he loves it," Stoute said.

“He's such a versatile horse, winning a Group 2 at 7f and now a mile, but I think this is more like his optimum trip.

“He's not in anything at the moment but we'll weigh up the options, he wouldn't want to be running on heavy ground so a lot depends on how dry an autumn we get.

“Angus Gold was talking about calling it a day with him now but I would be disappointed if he wasn't in training next year.”

“That was a good run. I’m pleased with him.

Zabeel Prince is still available at 50-1 for the QEII Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot next month, and Roger Varian seemed to think a run would be a good idea. 

“Silvestre said he felt like a proper horse today," he said. 

"He rode him this time last year when he was coming up through handicaps, but he said he felt like a proper horse this time. While he let down on that ground, he said he couldn’t shake the winner on it, as he was feeling the ground in the last furlong.

“He is going to win a big race, especially when he gets his conditions.

“He was pretty fit coming into this, although I’m sure he will improve a little bit for the run.

“He is in the Group One at Ascot (QEII) and that might be the logical race to run, as it is an open division. If the rains come, that’s his conditions. Otherwise, there is a Group Three at Maisons-Laffitte a week after Champions Day. There is another race this season for him, but quite what it will be, we’ll have to see.”

Regal Reality is also in the race and is available at 33-1. Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, suggested another run this season was on the cards. 

“He ran well," he said. "It was a race that didn’t unravel in his favour. He had a hard race at Haydock (when third last time) and that took its toll.

“Ryan (Moore) said he just needs to grow up mentally. He handled the ground but needs to grow up and improve a bit.

“They were always quickening, and he was not really able to switch off and produce his kick.

“Ryan suggested we might give him one more run before the end of the season to educate him mentally.”

Zonderland, also in the Cheverly Park Stud colours, was fourth.

Richardson added: “The old boy Zonderland lost his near-fore shoe and probably found the ground a bit too quick for him at his age (five), but he has run all right.”

Shadwell Joel Stakes (Group 2)
£100,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

Pos	Dr	D	Horse SP	Jockey Weight	Trainer	Age
1st	(2)		Mustashry 15/8f	Jim Crowley 9-7	Sir Michael Stoute	5
2nd	(5)	½	Zabeel Prince (IRE) 10/3	S De Sousa 9-4	R Varian	5
3rd	(4)	4½	Regal Reality 11/4	R L Moore 9-0	Sir Michael Stoute	3
4th	(3)	¾	Zonderland 13/2	A Kirby 9-4	C G Cox	5
5th	(1)	7	Accidental Agent 8/1	Charles Bishop 9-9	Eve Johnson Houghton	4