Dubawi's Benbatl Holds Court at Royal Ascot

   TDN Rising Star Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was runner-up to the race-hardened Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in last month's G2 Dante S. at York before staying on well to run fifth in the G1 Epsom Derby, added further lustre to Godolphin's resurgence with a thrilling victory in Thursday's G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot. Britain's heatwave may have subsided somewhat for this Ladies Day, but temperatures remained high as the homebred bay at last delivered on the impression provided by his Apr. 2 debut score over seven furlongs at Doncaster. Away sharply and allowed to find a rhythm in a handy fifth as Taj Mahal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set a solid tempo at the head of affairs, the 9-2 chance–who raced without the hood he sported first time at Epsom– was wound up to take closer order off the home turn. He was stoked up further to claim an advantage approaching the final eighth and would not be denied under an Oisin Murphy drive as the ominous threats of Orderofthegarter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) were unceremoniously doused in the dying embers of this stellar renewal. At the line, he had a half length and 3/4 of a length to spare over those rivals. “I don't celebrate very often, but that one meant the world to me,” explained Murphy after claiming his first Royal winner. “Saeed bin Suroor has been very good to me and to reward him with a Royal Ascot winner is fantastic. We took the hood off him today, he arrived here in top order and won that with a bit in hand.”

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HAMPTON COURT S.-G3, £90,000, ASC, 6-22, 3yo, 9f 212yT, 2:05.40, g/f.
1–#@BENBATL (GB), 126, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Nahrain (GB) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, SW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $1,041,961), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady of the Sea (GB), by Mill Reef
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $185,129. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Orderofthegarter (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Kitty Kiernan (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, & Michael Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £19,350.
3–Mirage Dancer (GB), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)–Heat Haze (GB), by Green Desert. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £9,684.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 3.30, 7.00.
Also Ran: Taj Mahal (Ire), Irishcorrespondent (Ire), Speedo Boy (Fr), Mucho Applause (Ire), Tamleek, Kings Gift (Ire), Grey Britain (GB), Rodaini, Bay of Poets (Ire), Savile Row (Fr). Scratched: Gold Spinner (Ire), Jake's Hill (GB), Larchmont Lad (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
   Reflecting on an upturn in recent fortunes, winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented, “When he won the first time [at Doncaster], we thought that he was the right horse for the big races. He finished fifth in the Derby and ran well, but he came from too far back and finished strong so we thought that a mile-and-a-quarter would be better for him. Sheikh Mohammed made the decision to run him in today's race and Benbatl is obviously improving all the time. Today's trip was brilliant for him, he was in a nice position and kicked really well. He was very backward last year, I looked after him in the winter and then, early in the season, he showed some class. It is brilliant to win at Royal Ascot as these races are hard to win, but finally we found the right horse to win.” Looking ahead, the trainer continued, “We will keep options open and we might take him to York for the [July 29 G2] York S. or the [Aug. 23 G2] Great Voltigeur S., or we could go for the [Aug. 5 G3] Gordon S. at Goodwood. We might then give him a break before the [Oct. 21 G1] Champion S. [back here] at Ascot. I like him, he is a very honest horse and could be anything for the future.” Complimenting the talents of rider Oison Murphy, bin Suroor added, “Oisin is a jockey for the future. He is doing really well and has always done a good job for us in Dubai and here. We are going to use him even more in the future.”
   Aidan O'Brien was delighted with the performance of runner-up Orderofthegarter, who was returning off a fifth in Deauville's May 14 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and a sixth in Chantilly's June 4 G1 Prix du Jockey Club, and said, “He has no bother with a mile-and-a-quarter and I am delighted with his run.” Ryan Moore was equally succinct and added, “He ran a very good race and the winner is a good horse. The right horses came to the fore.”
   Mirage Dancer, who was a promising fourth behind subsequent G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the May 12 Listed Dee S. at Chester, was unable to provide Sir Michael Stoute with a record-breaking 76th Royal winner having threatened to do so soon after turning for home here. However,  Stoute was concentrating on what lies ahead and said,”It was very pleasing and he's a progressive horse who is improving with each race. He's got a great frame that he's got to fill, he has a good mind and is a good athlete and I think he's got a good future.”
   Benbatl is the first black-type scorer out of G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Flower Bowl Invitational-winning British highweight Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk), who was also second in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and is herself a half-sister to the dual stakes winner Baharah (Elusive Quality). Their dam Bahr (GB) (Generous {Ire}) earned her stripes here in the G2 Ribblesdale S. and in York's G3 Musidora S., as well as hitting the board in the G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks and GI Flower Bowl Invitational. Benbatl shares his third dam, Lady of the Sea (GB) (Mill Reef), with G1 Toorak H. victor Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc de Cambes {NZ}) and the antipodean connection is enhanced by fourth dam La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen II {GB}), a multiple champion and G1SW New Zealand Horse of the Year. The winner is kin to the 2-year-old colt Ta Allak (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), a yearling colt by Dansili {GB}) and a filly foal, like himself, by Dubawi (Ire).