A momentous day: two G1 wins as history is made in Canada

Multiple big race runners in several major races on the same day: we’ve been lucky to enjoy that pleasure on occasion. Doubles at Royal Ascot – we’ve achieved that too. Twice, in fact.

But we’ve never before had a day like today.

A Group 1 win in Newmarket, our first at racing’s HQ. A Group 2 win and a G1 runner-up at the Qatar-sponsored Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe festival – we’ve never won on this weekend either. Best of all, a Grade 1 victory with a horse trained by one Qatari and ridden by another — that marks a truly significant achievement: a first for a pair of Qatari horseman of the world’s elite stage.

But it all began with a near-miss. On the rain-sodden Longchamp turf, the diminutive Chdia struck the front within the final furlong of the G1 Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments, only to be overwhelmed by the race’s hot favourite Hajmah. This was a first reversal for the Alban de Mieulle trainee, who had last raced at HH The Emir’s Sword meeting in Doha way back in February. In other words, she had every excuse for falling a little short in the dying strides, especially in this her debut in this class of race.

After Chdia, the successes came thick and fast. Fallen Angel added a third consecutive Group 1 to her burgeoning resume when winning the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket with her customary mettle. That’s now five G1 wins in total, all achieved against solely female opposition; all being well, she’ll take on colts next time in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in a fortnight’s time.

Back at Longchamp, gelded four-year-old First Look proved ideally suited to the soft ground, winning the always competitive Group 2 Qatar Prix Dollar with considerable authority. Master trainer Andre Fabre nominated the centrepiece of British Champions Day – the Champion Stakes – as a possible target for him.

Across the Atlantic, Hamad Al-Jehani fielded two of his consistent and talented older horses in the Grade 1 Canadian International, Haunted Dream and Silawi, both racing here after last-time-out Group-race victories. Silawi, partnered by Wathnan and Al-Jehani’s long-time ally Faleh Bughenaim (the three combined to win the Qatar Derby with Jeff Koons almost two years ago), broke smartly and was never headed… though it got close at crunch time, the pairing having on by the skin of their teeth or, as the officials put it, by a nose.

What a landmark triumph! A race which has been park of racing’s folklore – it’s the event used, some 52 years ago, for the mighty Secretariat’s unlikely swansong – is now part of Qatar’s sporting history.