Coming of age as a stayer when winning the Sept. 9 G2 Doncaster Cup over this trip, Sheikhzayedroad emerged best in a tussle with that race's runner-up Quest For More to continue the momentum into the autumn. Successful in the 2014 G2 York S. over 10 furlongs and GI Northern Dancer Turf S. at a mile and a half at Woodbine before his reincarnation as a marathon performer, the bay had a first try at this trip when sixth in the G2 Goodwood Cup last July before reverting to middle distances. Making up late ground to be third after a slow start in the GI Canadian International back at Woodbine in October, he returned to capture the 14-furlong G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan Mar. 3 before finishing eighth back at a mile and a half in that track's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic 23 days later. Third to Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Gold Cup over 2 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot June 16, he was in the same spot in the latest renewal of the Goodwood Cup July 28 before wearing down Quest For More late on at Doncaster when last seen.
Always close to the early pace, Sheikhzayedroad was ideally positioned at the top of the straight with Order of St George languishing behind and the eventual winner worked his way past his old adversary Quest For More and to the front with 150 yards remaining. As last year's G1 Fillies & Mares S. heroine Simple Verse picked up out wide and the 4-6 favourite Order of St George plugged on, the result was already decided with jockey Martin Harley rewarded for his positivity. “He is very tough. They didn't go very quick up front and he over-races a bit when they go steady, but I knew he had a good change of gear and he picked up in the final furlong,” he explained. Trainer David Simcock added, “He's such an easy horse to train, he trains himself–all he does is show his well-being at home. I don't normally get excited watching my horses but I did today, it's an important day, a wonderful day's racing so to win with an old pro like this makes it worthwhile. As he's got a little bit older he's got a little bit slower, but he's still got a massive appetite and he's got that bit of speed over this trip which is quite handy.” Quest For More's trainer Roger Charlton said of the game runner-up, who had won the G1 Prix du Cadran just a fortnight earlier, “I'm really pleased and so proud of him, as he's so consistent. Having had a tough race two weeks ago, to come back and run within two or three feet of the horse that beat him at Doncaster was great. Hopefully we'll go to Dubai.” Ralph Beckett said of Simple Verse, “She got every yard of the trip, she just ran out of racecourse. She was coming at the end, she's run very well and I think the likelihood is she'll stay in training.”
The second dam Marble Maiden was the winner of the GII All Along S., GIII Buena Vista H. and G3 Prix de Sandringham before producing the listed-winning and group-placed Vernoy (Forty Niner) and the dam of the G2 Cape Verdi scorer First City (GB) (Diktat {GB}) and the recent G2 Royal Lodge S. third Sea Fox (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Also from the family of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Danseuse d'Etoile (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and the G2 Copa Republica Argentina winner and G2 Meguro Kinen runner-up Lelouch (Jpn) (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}), the dam also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly by Kheleyf named Al Rowaiyah (GB) and a yearling filly by Shamardal named Umm Al Nar (GB).
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP-G2, £350,000, ASC, 10-15, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:31.52, gd.
1–SHEIKHZAYEDROAD (GB), 133, g, 7, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Royal Secrets (Ire), by Highest Honor (Fr)
2nd Dam: Marble Maiden (GB), by Lead On Time
3rd Dam: Lastcomer, by Kris (GB)
O-Mohammed Jaber; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-David Simcock; J-Martin Harley. £198,485. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Can, GSW-UAE & G1SP-Eng, 36-11-4-8, $1,442,733. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Quest For More (Ire), 133, g, 6, Teofilo (Ire)–No Quest (Ire), by Rainbow Quest. (58,000gns Ylg '11 TAOC). O-HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Roger Charlton. £75,250.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Simple Verse (Ire), 130, f, 4, Duke of Marmalade (Ire)–Guantanamera (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€240,000 Ylg '13 GOFORB). O-QRL/Sheikh Suhaim Al Thani/M Al Kubaisi; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £37,660.
Margins: HF, HF, HF. Odds: 11.00, 9.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Order of St George (Ire), Nearly Caught (Ire), Litigant (GB), Forgotten Rules (Ire), Suegioo (Fr), Sandro Botticelli (Ire), Gold Prince (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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