Mohaather Powers To Sussex Glory

Denied a clear run when seventh in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S., Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) gained some measure of compensation in the G2 Summer Mile back at the Berkshire venue earlier this month and produced an explosive turn of foot to secure a career high in Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood. The well-backed 3-1 second choice was handily placed in fourth after an alert getaway, but slipped one spot at halfway. Shuffled back to last of the seven runners when caught in a pocket against the fence approaching the final quarter-mile, he was angled to the outside by Jim Crowley with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and fired up the afterburners once accosting his Queen Anne conqueror Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Siskin (First Defence) inside the final furlong to claim glory in a stellar renewal of the one-mile feature. At the line, he had 3/4-of-a-length and a half-length to spare over those adversaries, with an additional two lengths back to G1 2000 Guineas winner and G1 Epsom Derby fourth Kameko (Kitten's Joy) in fourth.

Reflecting on the win, and yet another high-water mark of a banner 2020, rider Jim Crowley beamed, “He's an absolute aeroplane! I wanted to ride him more forward today and, by doing that, we ended up in a bit of a pocket the whole way and he's had to do it the hard way. He was shuffled back, got taken out of the race and he's had to come around them. Everything went wrong for him. If I'd have sat last, and ridden him more confidently, he'd maybe have been more impressive. This is serious, they're the best milers in Europe and I wouldn't say he's made them look ordinary, but he won very well.”

“It was tactical, we thought it would be and I don't blame anyone for that because that is just racing,” added winning trainer Marcus Tregoning. “He struggled to find his way out, but Jim [Crowley] kept his calm in the knowledge that he has that massive kick. He was very impressive, I have to say, and if he'd got out earlier he'd have won very easily, but he won very easily anyway!” Tregoning, who'd not enjoyed Group 1 success since guiding Sir Percy (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) to Epsom Derby glory in 2006, has adopted a patient approach with the speedily bred bay and overseen a maximum of three runs in each of the now 4-year-old's three seasons' racing. Having closed a 2-for-3 juvenile campaign with victory in Newbury's G3 Horris Hill S., Mohaather's love affair with that track continued in the G3 Greenham S. last term, the first of two sophomore outings, and he ran fifth in October's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in his first start at Ascot. “I've had to wait a long time [for another Group 1 winner], but we haven't quite had the horses. When we left Lambourn [for Whitsbury in 2013] we didn't start with very many horses and it was like starting from the beginning again. Luckily, Sheikh Hamdan supported me well and I also have to give a big plug to Angus Gold. He found this horse as a yearling and asked me to go look at him. I looked at him and thought he was quite small, but I trained Dominica to win the [G2] King's Stand first time out as a 3-year-old [in 2002] and she wasn't even 15 hands. Angus is a good judge, we liked the pedigree and we thought we'd give it a go.” Looking ahead, the trainer continued, “The [GI] Breeders' Cup Mile is a possibility, we know tactical speed round those tighter tracks is what you have to have and this horse has so much pace. There's also [the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on] Champions Weekend at Ascot and he is in the [G1] Prix Jacques Le Marois, but that might come a bit quick for him. I will come up with a plan, but  it is entirely up to Sheikh Hamdan, Richard Hills and Angus Gold and so on.”

Connections were delighted with the customary full-blooded performance of Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who again refused to yield without a battle on the front end for a second runner-up finish in the contest. “Circus Maximus ran his heart out and you get that every time with him,” said Coolmore's Paul Smith. “He's a solid Group 1 horse and he's run a great race once again. We're delighted with him and he's going to be competitive wherever he goes next. I had goosebumps just looking at quality individuals in the parade ring, it was a great race and I'm looking forward to watching it back.”

Ger Lyons was thrilled, despite witnessing the first reversal for his Classic-winning stable star Siskin (First Defence), who held every chance before conceding only in the final strides. “I'm delighted with him. He came to win his race and was outstayed by two older horses. There were no excuses and that's all I asked for coming into the race. Colin [Keane] said the ground blunted his speed a bit, but one thing we know is that he's a proper miler and the faster the ground the better. There will be no decisions made just yet, but he probably has [GI] Breeders' Cup written all over him.” The final decision on plans will come in good time as Teddy Grimthorpe explained, “There are a number of options for him, all of which are pretty obvious, and we have got a bit of time to think about it. We will see how he comes out of the race, it was only his second race of the year, so there is still more to come from him. We will sit down, come up with a plan and take it from there. He has run a really good race. We have got absolutely no complaints and he has come out of the race as the best 3-year-old miler so that is a positive. He has had every chance and run really well so there we are. It was a good race, but he wasn't beaten far. There is always a moment where you think you have a chance, but we have no complaints at all.” Fresh from registering a first Goodwood winner in the previous race, Colin Keane also offered reflections in defeat. “It was a brilliant run, they went a nice even gallop from the word go and my horse travelled into it well. He came there to win and probably just bumped into two older, hardened, horses. Maybe the ground, just being on the slow side, blunts his speed a little bit, but we are very happy.”

Oisin Murphy  accepted full responsibilty for the defeat of Kameko (Kitten's Joy), who was denied a clear passage–glued hard against the notorious far-side fence–inside the final quarter mile and hit the line full of run. “He jumped very smart and I wanted to take a lead,” the rider explained. “I couldn't find any room up the straight and I felt the best horse didn't win on the day. Unfortunately, these things happen sometimes and this was jockey error. I hope the horse is sound in the morning and he lives to fight another day, but apologies to his connections. A lot of hard work goes into preparing these horses and nobody wants hard-luck stories. Everyone saw the way he travelled and I was full of horse for most of the race. I haven't spoken to [trainer] Andrew [Balding] or Prince Fahad about it in any depth, but I view him as a miler.” Trainer Andrew Balding added, “I have only seen it once with the naked eye and I would have to watch it again, but Kameko looked unlucky. He has finished on the heels of them and Oisin was a bit unlucky on him, but it happens round here.”

Mohaather, the latest of nine foals and one of eight winners out of Listed Dick Poole Fillies' S. third Roodeye (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), is a full-brother to MGSW GI Del Mar Oaks placegetter Prize Exhibit (GB) and a half to the stakes-placed Harbour Master (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and to the dam of G1 Queen Anne S. hero Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}). Roodeye is one of five black-type performers produced by Listed Firth of Clyde S. runner-up Roo (GB) (Rudimentary), headed by G1 Prix Morny second Gallagher (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}). Roo, herself out of a half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park S. victress Dead Certain (GB) (Absalom {GB}), is kin to G2 Gimcrack S. winner Bannister (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and to the dam of fellow G2 Gimcrack S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. victor Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus).

Wednesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR SUSSEX S.-G1, £275,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:38.75, gd.
1–MOHAATHER (GB), 134, c, 4, by Showcasing (GB)
                1st Dam: Roodeye (GB) (SP-Eng), by Inchinor (GB)
                2nd Dam: Roo (GB), by Rudimentary
                3rd Dam: Shall We Run (GB), by Hotfoot (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (110,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Mrs R F Johnson Houghton (GB); T-Marcus Tregoning; J-Jim Crowley. £155,953. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-0, $371,699. *Full to Prize Exhibit (GB), MGSW & GISP-US, GSP-Eng, $697,375; and 1/2 to Harbour Master (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), SP-US, $125,511. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Circus Maximus (Ire), 134, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Duntle (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £59,125.
3–Siskin, 126, c, 3, First Defence–Bird Flown (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Ger Lyons. £29,590.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 2. Odds: 3.00, 6.00, 2.25.
Also Ran: Kameko, Wichita (Ire), San Donato (Ire), Vatican City (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.