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| Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani (right) leads in Dunaden (Christophe Lemaire astride) after winning the Melbourne Cup at Flemington race course in Melbourne, yesterday. (Reuters |
Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani owned Dunaden’s victory in the Melbourne Cup has put Qatar firmly on the world map of horse racing. The Pearl Bloodstock owned six-year-old stallion staved off a spirited challenge from Red Cadeux to win by a nose to earn its proud owner a purse of US $3.8 million at the Flemington racecourse in Melbourne yesterday.
“This is tremendous news for Qatar. I must congratulate Sheikh Fahad for this huge success. Dunaden had an impressive preparatory gallop in the Geelong Cup in his only start in Australia. He is a true champion and won like one. This has kindled the hopes of a Qatari owner winning the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next year. The standard of racing in Qatar has improved vastly since the last few years. I am confident we will make a mark in the international scene with a few more victories like this,” a jubilant REC general manager Sami Jassim al-Boenain told the Gulf Times.
“My congratulations to the connections of Dunaden who took the horse from France to Australia to win the biggest race in the southern hemisphere. It just goes to show what can be done if there is a will to do it. It is another credit to Qatar and Qatar racing. It shows the whole world how Qatar is serious in relation to horse racing. It is a huge milestone for a new racing nation,” Racing and Equesrtian Club’s CEO Ian Patterson said.
Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah bin Khalifa al Thani only began investing in Thoroughbred racing 12 months ago, building up a team of 50 well-bred gallopers including Dunaden. This is indeed a tremendous achievement which will kindle the interests of other Qatari owners of winning bigger races.
Sheikh Fahad splashed out several million dollars on horses last year. But Dunaden was not one of his more expensive buys, bought for “a handicapper’s price”. “We bought him for a fraction of what he has won today,” the Sheikh Fahad said.
Dunaden exceeded early expectations and was showing such staying promise that consideration was given to aiming the six-year-old at Europe’s most prestigious staying race, the Ascot Gold Cup at England’s Royal Ascot carnival.
But Sheikh Fahad, who studied business administration for four years in London and became attracted to British racing by watching it on television, had other ideas.
“The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest races in the world but it’s a handicap and I wanted to save his handicap,” Sheikh Fahad said. “I said no to the Ascot Gold Cup this year and decided to go for the Melbourne Cup.”
According to AFP, Dunaden’s regular jockey Craig Williams was a late suspension from the 3,200 metre (two mile) race and Frenchman Christophe Lemaire was flown in from Tokyo as a replacement, only arriving on Monday afternoon.
But despite not having seen the Flemington racecourse before, Lemaire rode the perfect race, maintaining his position in the pack before bursting to the lead with 100 metres to go and holding off an equally fast finishing Red Cadeaux to win by a nose.
Judges had to blow up the photo four times more than usual to determine the winner, with trainer Mikel Delzangles admitting he thought Dunaden had lost, while Lemaire broke down in tears when he realised he had won. “It was a great moment for me,” Lemaire said. “I was a bit anxious. I knew it was very close.
“I feel very sorry for Craig. He’s a good friend of mine,” he added of Williams, who was suspended for 10 meetings on a careless riding charge last Wednesday, with his appeal turned down late Friday.
“I know it’s very hard for him but it’s part of a jockey’s life and I’m sure he’ll win the Melbourne Cup one year.”
German horse Lucas Cranach was third, ahead of 2010 winner Americain and Manighar as European horses filled the top seven positions.
Dunaden followed the same path as Americain did last year, winning the Geelong Cup in his only start in Australia before the big Melbourne race.
The victory, the eighth in 28 starts for the six-year-old stallion, lands owner Sheikh Fahad al-Thani of Qatar Aus$3.6mn ($3.8mn) plus a trophy worth Aus$175,000.
The huge crowd of 105,000 had no indication of the drama to follow as the field of 23 began the race at a leisurely pace, bunching up as they passed the finishing line for the first time.
Illo, trained by 12-time Cup winner Bart Cummings, broke away and picked up the pace but his race was over 400 metres from the finish as the field swamped him and headed for home. Manighar hit the front but was chased down by Lucas Cranach before Dunaden and Red Cadeaux stormed down the outside.
Dunaden began to drift wider but Lemaire switched his whip to the right hand to straighten him and that proved just enough.
“I would have preferred to get beaten by half a length than get beaten like that,” Red Cadeaux jockey Michael Rodd said.
“We had a beautiful run through the race, I was able to come out when I wanted to and he felt fantastic. “I was able to hold him up till the 400 (metres) and coming into the 350 I let him go and he showed a turn of foot I wasn’t expecting.
“He’s tried really hard and it’s taken a good horse to beat him.”