Persian Dreamer the highlight of 1,910-1 four-timer for Stott

Persian Dreamer (5-1) handed her owner Kia Joorabchian the perfect birthday present when scoring in today’s Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored by bet365) at the Boodles July Festival at Newmarket.

All eyes were on Godolphin’s 1-6 favourite Star Of Mystery but she was headed entering the final furlong by Persian Warrior, who ran on strongly to win by a length and three quarters.

The two year old daughter of Calyx brought up a 125-1 double for her jockey Kevin Stott, following his success on Killybegs Warrior in the first race. The jockey would go on to complete a glittering four-timer with Live Your Dream and Good Earth also obliging for him.

Kia Joorabchian, 52 today, said: “We’ve loved this filly from day one. She had one unfortunate midfield run (when fourth of nine at York in May) but ever since she’s been wonderful. She’s very quick and it worked out very well today. She’s beaten a 1-6 favourite and well thought of Godolphin horse so we will look (at Group One targets).”

Successful trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis was enjoying the first Pattern race success of his career.

He said: “It’s a relief to get there at last. She’s a smashing filly and she’s done nothing wrong all year really, but she needs to get her toe into the ground. We were praying for the rain today and it has come – I was saying before the race that I didn’t wear a jacket in the hope it would rain!

“She was the last horse off the bridle at Ascot and she just doesn’t let herself down when the ground is as fast as that. It was proper fast ground but there was no jar and she’s been able to come here not that long afterwards and run a top race.

“She’s a big strong filly and that’s probably why she doesn’t go on the fast ground, but I think she’s a lovely filly going forward. When she won here on the Rowley Mile (in April) I thought she could make up into a Guineas horse and she gives you that sort of impression.

“We had some nice horses (before Amo arrived at the yard), but I would never have had a horse like this.”

Charlie Appleby, trainer of runner-up Star Of Mystery, said: “As we know with these small runner events they can become quite messy. We were contested there early (for the lead) and she was lit up for the first couple of furlongs.

“As Will (Buick, jockey) said she hit the lids and the other horse (Thanksbutnothanks) was up there on our girths keeping us lit up. They (Kevin Stott and Persian Dreamer) got a nice tow into it and picked up and have seen it out better than we did. At the end of the day, we know it is tough on the front end with a bit of a headwind. We did enough early on, and it just paid that last couple of hundred yards.

“Fair play to the winner, they have got a nice tow, got the cover, and picked us up. Small fields can become messier than a big field event, but full credit to the winner. Our filly didn’t lose too much in defeat. I think she will be better when she can get a bit of cover.

“We will carry on down that route (sprinting), whether we look at the Lowther or hold on I don’t know. She is a filly that is a this year filly on the scope of her.”

Live Your Dream (5-2 Favourite) repeated his 2021 success in the £100,000 bet365 Trophy Heritage Handicap (1m 6f) to bring up a 440-1 treble for jockey Kevin Stott.

Having won this contest two years ago, Godolphin’s six year old Iffraaj gelding missed all of 2022 but had shaped with promise on two outings this year when placed at Haydock Park and Royal Ascot. Travelling well through today’s race, he went to the front two furlongs out and the result was not in doubt thereafter as he went on to win by a comfortable length and three quarters.

Kevin Stott told ITV Racing: “He ran a really good race last time and was up in trip today. We knew he liked it here and he has won it a little bit easy to be honest.

“I have had a treble before but obviously this is brilliant. Saeed (bin Suroor, trainer) has been very good to me since I was an apprentice and to ride him nice winners is really nice for me personally. He has always been a good supporter of mine and is an absolute gentleman. I am really happy and really happy for Saeed.”

Successful trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: “Today he won well. We are happy with the way he ran and we will now take him to York for the Ebor. He will need an easy time as he has had three hard races but so far physically, he looks very good.

“He had two good runs coming into the race. After last time we thought maybe one mile six is the best trip for him and that distance was clearly better for him today. For him to go to Australia we need to see how he runs in the Ebor first. It is something that could be on the back of the mind.”

Adrian Keatley, trainer of the runner-up Kihavah (5-1), said: “He ran a blinder. It’s a pity we didn’t win on the day but the ground probably got away from us, so what can you do.

“Hopefully now he gets into the Ebor. We were targeting the Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen but I’d say the ground will have gone there by next week, so we’ll mark him out for the Ebor and see how we get on.”

Festival Friday at the Boodles July Festival concluded with the cavani.co.uk The Sartorial Sprint Handicap (5f) which saw Good Earth (100-30) take the spoils – completing a remarkable 1,910-1 four-timer on the day for jockey Kevin Stott.

Trained by Michael Herrington, the six year old Good Earth came with a strong late run in the final furlong to score by a length and three quarters.

Kevin Stott said: “It is my first four-timer, and it is quite nice to do it at Newmarket on the July Course. It has just been a good day. The last winner was really good. Michael used to train next to Kevin Ryan up in Yorkshire and I remember riding out when I first came over and I used to ride out for Michael in the evenings to give him a hand. It is nice to be able to repay him with a nice winner at Newmarket.

“I thought I had a couple of chances and would hopefully have one winner, but to ride four is great. Obviously, the Duchess Of Cambridge winner was the highlight and she is a very nice filly. She will probably get further in time.”

Michael Herrington added: “He is a great horse. We had to run him as we have come a long way and we have been at the sales. I was a little bit sceptical about the ground as his best form is on faster ground. When he was at Jamie Osborne’s he won on softer ground so he can go on softer ground, and he has relished and won going away.

“He loves a stiff five furlongs as he has won at Beverley and run well at Sandown. I think a stiff five probably suits him better than an easy six as he can sometimes over race a bit early. The top horses probably came out of the race which made it a little bit easier for us, but he has done it well. We’ve got some good races to go to war at.

“There is the Sunday Series, and he has won one of them already so we might get greedy and go for another one of them. I’ve put him in the Stewards’ Cup, but that is an easy six with a stiff finish. I’m in the Racing League as well in the Yorkshire team with Leonna Mayor and hopefully she might put me in one of them races as they are worth a good bit.”

Earlier on the card Arabic Legend (17-2) made a taking racecourse debut when successful in the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes (7f) on Festival Friday at the Boodles July Festival.

The Dubawi juvenile colt, out of Grade One winner Sheikha Reika, missed his intended first outing when withdrawn at the start at Doncaster last month but left that well him today as he came home the length and a half victor under Rob Hornby.

Winning trainer Andrew Balding said: “It was not especially a surprise. He is a very well-bred horse and we think a little bit of him.

“When the rain came that certainly wasn’t going to inconvenience him. He has got a lot of potential this horse. He was due to run at Doncaster but unfortunately there was a mishap in the stalls but it was great to come here and Rob (Hornby) gave him a lovely ride.

“I’m delighted for his owner (Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum) who is a great owner to have in the yard and he has also bred the horse which is great. I’m sure he will stay a mile and possibly even a little further in time. We will see what we do next, I’ll talk to the owner.”

Final Watch justified 4-1 joint-favouritism in the Boodles Handicap (7f). Having previously scored over the course and distance in 2021, the William Stone-trained five year old came home the cosy neck winner under Neil Callan.

Killybegs Warrior (20-1) made it three wins from as many starts on the July Course at Newmarket when battling his way to success in the £100,000 6 Horse Challenge At bet365 Handicap, the opening contest on Festival Friday at the 2023 Boodles July Festival.

Carrying the silks of one of his stable’s longstanding owners, Mick Doyle, the three year old son of Saxon Warrior went to the front entering the final quarter mile under Kevin Stott. After being headed by Obelix (25-1) in the final furlong, he rallied gamely inside the final half-furlong to score by three-quarters of a length.

This was a seventh success in this race for a horse trained by a member of the Johnston family in the last 11 years. Mark Johnston saddled six winners between 2013 and 2020 with this being a first for his son Charlie.

Charlie Johnson said: “Mick Doyle (owner) has been a huge supporter of the family for the past 25 to 30 years. He loves this track, and he always wants to target his horses here. I’m absolutely delighted for him as he has been a huge supporter of the yard for a long time, and this is the perfect track and the perfect horse to have a winner for him.

“One thing we always try and do is go back to what we know has worked in the past and this horse is a perfect example. His best form is on this track. We were on a bit of a recovery mission, so we have gone back to what we know works well in the past. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t.

“There was a period when I think we had five of the seven renewals (go our way) and some really good horses of ours have won it, Communique springs to mind. This horse is now three from three on this track and he clearly loves it here. I’ve set him some pretty difficult challenges this year like the Dante and the Hampton Court, and this was him probably at a more realistic level and he has bounced back.

“I actually thought he didn’t run as badly as his finishing position suggested in the Hampton Court. He was quite a long way back and he just never really got into it. Richard (Kingscote) wasn’t that hard on him in the final furlong when he wasn’t going to be placed, but he was running up the back of horses and he wasn’t beaten that far.

“The one real disappointment was probably the Silver Bowl at Haydock. We spent a lot of time debating whether he was a mile or a mile and a quarter horse. I think we eventually realised a mile and a quarter is his best trip.

“Newmarket and York are Mick Doyle’s tracks and we always try and target runners for him at those tracks but I might try and ask for a pass out to Goodwood between now and York.”

Thady Gosden, joint trainer of the runner-up Obelix with his father John, said: “He ran very well.

“His last run at Ascot was his first run in handicap company and that was a tough race. He’s run a much better race here today - he switched off well at the back under Jamie (Spencer) and stayed on well. We’ll see how he comes out of the race and go from there.”

Alan King, trainer of the third Westerton (11-2), said: “I’m happy enough with that. We might look at stepping him up in trip a little bit now, if he comes out of it well there’s a mile and a half race at Goodwood which we might look at.”