Royal Ascot

Maraahel stings Scorpion
23/06/07

1st 7 Maraahel 10/3 2F
2nd 1 Scorpion 4/5

Maraahel gained a back-to-back victory in the Hardwicke Stakes this afternoon and in the process provided trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a first victory at Royal Ascot this year.

The Freemason Lodge trainer said: “It’s been a little bit frustrating with four close seconds but I am thrilled by this victory and I think that Maraahel is slightly better than ever as a six-year-old.

“We ran him with a visor all along but we put the blinkers on this year and they’ve woken him up as he’s just a bit keen. He’s won three from four starts in them so we won’t be taking them off.

“We’ll see how he comes out of the race and discuss whether he goes for the King George with Sheikh Hamdan [owner] . He’s also in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes and it will probably be either or and it would be lovely to win a Group One race with him one day.”

William Hill make the winner a 12/1 chance for the King George, while Paddy Power are offering 20/1 (from 25) about Maraahel for the same event, with runner-up Scorpion a 10/1 chance. Totesport go 16/1 (from 25) about the winner for the King George.

Winning rider Richard Hills said: “He’s been a favourite of mine for a long while and I have managed to get it right three times this year.

“I’ve been riding him for about four years and he has pretty much taken on the best and he is always thereabouts and keeps coming up with it.

“John Egan [on Mighty] tried to ride the horse in the first part of the race and my horse got a bit upset so I moved a bit closer. Once he gets to the front he is a hard horse to get by.”

The winning owner agreed with these sentiments, telling connections: “He always finds something when the horse [Scorpion] comes to him.”

O’BRIEN SATISFIED - MIGHTY COULD BE MELBOURNE BOUND

Trainer Aidan O’Brien was far from despondent after 4/5 favourite Scorpion failed by half-a-length to peg back Maraahel in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes.

The Irish trainer said: “He ran a stormer.

“He has come home well and was just getting there.

“I don’t know where he will go next.

“That was a sound run.”

Third-placed Mighty suffered trouble in running and is now being targeted at the Melbourne Cup.

"I'm very pleased and he probably would have finished a lot closer and been right on their backsides," said trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam.

"I'm going to take a gamble and put both him and Mudawin, who runs in the Norhumberland Plate next weekend, in the Melbourne Cup.

“He's a versatile horse who goes on firm and soft ground and took a bump here, showing he handled that which is important for Melbourne. He's been on the go for a long time so will have to have a break now."

3:05pm HARDWICKE STAKES
Class 1, Group 2, £140,000 guaranteed, 1m 4f; For 4-y-o+; Weights: colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb; Penalties: after September 1, 2006, a winner of a Group 2 race 3lb; of a Group 1 race 5lb; Entries: 52 pay £380; 1st Forfeit: 41 pay £430; Confirmed: 16 pay £270; Penalty value 1st £79,492; 2nd £30,128; 3rd £15,078; 4th £7,518; 5th £3,766; 6th £1,890

1 MARAAHEL (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Sir Michael Stoute 6-9-00 Richard Hills [4] 100/30
2 SCORPION (Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor) Aidan O'Brien IRE 5-9-05 Michael Kinane [5] 4/5F
3 MIGHTY (Franconson Partners And Vannessa Church) Jane Chapple-Hyam 4-9-00 John Egan [2] 10/1
4 ADMIRAL'S CRUISE (Joe Allbritton) Brian Meehan 5-9-00 Jimmy Fortune [8]
5 BLUE BAJAN (John Hollowood) Andrew Turnell 5-9-00 Michael Hills [7]
6 DIAMOND QUEST (Rose Leheup) Andrew Balding 5-9-00 Hugh Bowman [6]
7 AKAREM (Mrs M Gittins) Karl Burke 6-9-00 Neil Callan [3]

7 ran
Non-runner: Linas Selection
Distances: 1/2, 2 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 3/4, 5
Time: 2m 35.47s
Breeding: b h Alzao (USA) - Nasanice (IRE) Nashwan (USA))
Breeder: Shadwell Estate Company Limited
Totes: Win: £4.00; Places: £2.20, £1.30; Exacta: £5.70

Winning trainer:-Name: Stoute, Sir Michael Ronald Date of birth:22/10/45 Date of first licence: 1972 First Winner: Sandal, Newmarket, April 28, 1972, Turn Of The Lands Handicap. Previous Occupation: Served with Pat Rohan, Doug Smith and Tom Jones British Classic wins: (13) 1000 Guineas (1989 Musical Bliss, 2003 Russian Rhythm), 2000 Guineas (1985 Shadeed, 1988 Doyoun, 1997 Entrepreneur, 2000 King’s Best, 2001 Golan), Vodafone Derby (1981 Shergar, 1986 Shahrastani, 2003 Kris Kin, 2004 North Light), Vodafone Oaks (1978 Fair Salinia, 1987 Unite) Other big race wins: Irish 2,000 Guineas (1989 Shaadi), Irish 1,000 Guineas (1986 Sonic Lady), Irish Derby (1981 -Shergar, 1983 Shareef Dancer, 1986 Shahrastani), Irish Oaks (1978 Fair Salinia, 1986 Colorspin, 1987 Unite, 1988 Melodist, 1995 Pure Grain, 2000 Petrushka), Champion Stakes (2000 Kalanisi), Cheveley Park Stakes (1980 Marwell; 1994 Gay Gallanta; 2000 Regal Rose), Vodafone Coronation Cup (1992 Saddler’s Hall, 1993 Opera House, 1997 Singspiel, 2000 Daliapour), Coral-Eclipse (1993 Opera House; 1994 Ezzoud;1997 Pilsudski, 2001 Medicean), Dubai World Cup (Singspiel 1997), Falmouth Stakes (1983 Royal Heroine, 1986 and 1987 Sonic Lady, 1998 Lovers Knot), Fillies’ Mile (1985 Untold), Japan Cup (1996 Singspiel, 1997 Pilsudski), Juddmonte International Stakes (1993 & 1994 Ezzoud; 1997 Singspiel; 2006 Notnowcato), July Cup (1981 Marwell; 1986 Green Desert; 1987 Ajdal), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (1981 Shergar; 1993 Opera House, 2002 Golan), Vodafone Nassau Stakes (1977 Temple First, 1984 Optimistic Lass, 1990 Kartajana, 1994 Hawajiss, 2002 Islington, 2003 Russian Rhythm, 2004 Favourable Terms), Prix de l’Opera (1983 Royal Heroine, 1985 Bella Colora, 2000 Petrushka, 2003 Zee Zee Top), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1985 Shadeed; 1987 Milligram; 1989 Zilzal), Racing Post Trophy (2000 Dilshaan), Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup (1986 Green Desert; 1987 Ajdal), Sussex Stakes (1986 Sonic Lady; 1989 Zilzal; 1998 Among Men), Yorkshire Oaks (1978 Fair Salinia; 1985 Sally Brown; 1986 Untold; 1990 Hellenic; 1995 Pure Grain, 2000 Petrushka, 2002 and 2003 Islington) Wins in a season (1984-2006): 96: 120: 76: 105: 99: 116: 78: 83: 74: 65: 109: 73: 73: 84: 79: 81: 91: 75: 104: 115: 87: 95; 107 Horses in training (1985-2007): 145: 142: 142: 170: 186: 191: n\a: 171: 147: 157 : 159: 159: 162: 162: 173: 190: 185: 181: 190: 184: 189: n/a; n/a Wins in 2007: 38 Royal Ascot Wins: 56 First Royal Ascot winner: Etienne Gerard (June 15, 1977 - Jersey Stakes) Major Royal Ascot wins: Gold Cup (1978 Shangamuzo), Coronation Stakes (1986 Sonic Lady, 1987 Milligram, 1998 Exclusive, 2003 Russian Rhythm), St James’s Palace Stakes (1989 Shaadi), Prince of Wales’s Stakes (1981 Hard Fought, 1991 Stagecraft), Golden Jubilee Stakes (1985 Dafayna), Queen Anne Stakes (2000 Kalanisi, 2001 Medicean, 2002 No Excuse Needed), Jersey Stakes (1977 Etienne Gerard, 1980 Hard Fought, 1989 Zilzal, 1997 Among Men, 2006 Jeremy), King Edward VII Stakes (1983 Shareef Dancer, 1991 Saddler’s Hall, 1994 Foyer, 2002 Balakheri, 2006 Papal Bull), Hardwicke Stakes (1986 Dihistan, 1991 & 1992 Rock Hopper, 2006 & 2007 Maraahel) Other details: Champion trainer in Britain 8 times (1981, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005) Trains at Freemason Lodge, Newmarket

Winning jockey:-Name: Hills, Richard John. Born: Newmarket, 22/1/63 Apprenticeship: With Tom Jones. First winner: Border Dawn (Doncaster 26/10/79) Classic wins: (5) 1000 Guineas (1995 Harayir, 2000 Lahan), 2000 Guineas (2004 Haafhd), St Leger (1999 Mutafaweq), Vodafone Oaks (2005 Eswarah) Other major wins: Autumn Stakes (2000 Nayef), Champion Stakes (2001 Nayef), Chesham Stakes (1996 Shamikh), Dubai World Cup (1999 Almutawakel), Falmouth Stakes (2000 Alshakr, 2002 Tashawak), Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2002 Mubtaker), German Oaks (2002 Salve Regina), Great Voltigeur Stakes (2002 Bandari), Greenham Stakes (2001 Munir), Hungerford Stakes (1998 Muhtathir), Juddmonte International Stakes (2002 Nayef), July Cup (1998 Elnadim), Middle Park Stakes (1997 Hayil), Norfolk Stakes (1986 Sizzling Melody, 1989 Pettilante), Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (1994 Wagon Master; 2001 Mutamam; 2004 Bandari), Queen Mary Stakes (1997 Nadwah), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1994 Maroof, 2001 Summoner); Rockfel Stakes (1999 Lahan); Royal Lodge Stakes (1998 Mutaahab, 2002 Al Jadeed), Select Stakes (2000 Ekraar, 2001 Nayef), September Stakes (2000 Mutamam); Temple Stakes (1999 Tipsy Creek); Watership Down Stud Sales Race (2002 Sharplaw Venture), Yorkshire Cup (1985 Ilium) Wins (1990-2006):56, 67, 52, 57, 59, 70, 71, 85, 83, 77, 81, 79, 81, 75, 66, 72, 54 Other details: Took over as number one jockey to Hamdan Al Maktoum on the retirement of Willie Carson. Wins in 2007: 29 Royal Ascot wins: (19) First Royal Ascot win: Queen’s Vase (June 19, 1985 Wassl Merbayeh) Major Royal Ascot wins: Gold Cup (1990 Ashal); Prince of Wales’s Stakes (1987 Mtoto, 2003 Nayef), Hardwicke Stakes (2006 & 2007 Maraahel), Hampton Court Stakes (2007 Zaham)