By Tom Frary
Held in the highest regard by Richard Fahey, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's latest hot property Powerful Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) puts his reputation on the line in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Impressive enough to earn instant TDN Rising Star status on debut at Pontefract last month, the relative of the top-class sprinter Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) meets more experienced peers in the six-furlong feature, but possibly none with more upside at this juncture. Fahey is hopeful the bubble won't burst. “We have been very pleased with him since, his work has been very good. It is a big ask for him, don't get me wrong, but we are very much looking forward to seeing him run,” he said.
Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) sets the standard on his G2 Gimcrack Stakes second, with the subsequent G3 Sirenia Stakes winner Symbol Of Strength (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in third. Charlie Appleby said of the former, “This looks another competitive event but our horse appears to have come forward since York and, if the ground is on the slower side, it shouldn't be an inconvenience. We go into the race with plenty of confidence.”
Symbol Of Strength's trainer Adrian Keatley is also in bullish mood. “He's in great nick and came out of his last race well. We're very happy with him at home, we think the track will suit him and hopefully the ground stays good,” he said. “We're after having two practice runs at this level, we were beaten a length the first time in the Gimcrack and won the last day when things went against us, so we're very hopeful of a big run.”
Saturday's six other pattern races include Chantilly's G3 Prix de Conde, where The Aga Khan's unbeaten filly Shandana (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) takes on the colts and another promising filly in Haras d'Etreham's Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), a Nicolas Le Roch-trained daughter of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Germance (Silver Hawk).
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