Battaash beaten as Suesa sizzles
French raider Suesa (7/1) ran away with the King George Qatar Stakes as Battaash failed in his bid to land the Group Two prize for a fifth time in succession.
Charlie Hills' charge travelled strongly down the centre of the track under Jim Crowley but as soon as he came off the bridle approaching the furlong pole the writing was on the wall.
It was at that stage that William Buick brought the winner with her challenge and she scooted clear to win, going away, by three lengths.
Dragon Symbol (5/2) led the chasing pack in second, with 22/1 shot Glass Slippers an encouraging third on her return to action.
Reaction from Battaash team
Battaash’s trainer Charlie Hills told Racing TV: “Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. He had a good trip really. There was a lot of pace on this (near) side of the track, but he came into the race travelling nice and strong and probably didn’t really handle the ground as well as he could have done.
“We were happy with him coming here. He’d been doing everything he’d done for the last few years – there was no difference really. I was just a little but concerned about the going here today.
Asked whether plans would change for Battaash, Hills added: “I don’t think so. We’ll see how he comes out of the race and obviously speak to the (Shadwell Estate) management and Sheikha Hissa and decide how to go forward.”
Verdict from winning connections
Buick was thoroughly impressed with Suesa. He said: “She’s an absolute sweetheart. I rode her in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot but the ground was very bad and I learned a lot from her that day.
“She’s full of speed and was coming back to five (furlongs) today and she travelled through the race so smoothly, she was hard on the bridle the whole way and she has that good kick at the finish.
“Today was perfect conditions for her, Mr Rohaut was adamant she was in good shape and I spoke to Olivier Peslier about her as well who told me a thing or two about her. It was great to get the ride and she’s a very good filly.”
James Wigan, racing manager for Suesa’s owner, George Strawbridge, said: “We thought she was very good before Ascot, and then the rain came and the ground was bottomless.
“She just couldn’t act on it, luckily we took her home and she was OK. Her form in France before was very impressive, but we didn’t know what she’d be like over here.
“There aren’t really many deep races, sprint Group races, in France in the summer, so this was the obvious place to come.”
Placed horses reaction
Oisin Murphy was aboard the Archie Watson-trained runner-up: “Dragon Symbol is better than that. It’s a shame the good ones weren’t drawn beside him, we followed the wrong ones.”
Kevin Ryan said of third home Glass Slippers, who making her seasonal reappearance after winning at the Breeders’ Cup: “I am absolutely delighted.
“She came there travelling very strongly. We would like to have got a racecourse gallop into her, but the ground has been so firm everywhere. We didn’t want to risk doing that. We knew coming here she was going to need the run. We can look forward to the rest of the year now.
“We will have a chat over the weekend, but we will generally take the same sort of route, the race in Ireland (Flying Five Stakes, Group One) I would imagine will be on the agenda. It will be a nice chat to have on Sunday morning.”