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Day two of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend at Newbury Racecourse featured two important Classic Trials among three Group 3 events, and delivered success for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum when Frankie Dettori brought Taqdeer with a sweeping run close to home to claim the valuable GBP 50,000 Elite Racing Club Handicap.
The first of the day's Classic trials, the GBP 60,000 Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes over seven furlongs for three-year-old fillies was won by Dan's Dream who doesn’t hold and entry in the Newmarket fillies' Classic, but may do soon. "Anyone who knows me knows I've never been one to shirk a challenge," said trainer Mick Channon. "She will need to be supplemented for the Guineas but I don't think I'll have much persuading to do - not with 'Beefy' among the owners".
The nearby West Ilsley trainer and former redoubtable England footballer was referring to former England cricket captain Ian Botham who is part of the syndicate which own Dan's Dream. She was least experienced of the eleven-runner fillies race but dominated her rivals. Channon's stable has never been in better form and though Dan's Dream is unlikely to be one of the favourites in a fortnight's time if the trainer's form maintains its present run, the home-bred filly will not look out of place.
Her Majesty The Queen's Call To Mind, who won the first division of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden Stakes on her racecourse debut last year, was well supported for the mile and a half Group 3 GBP 60,000 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes. But the favourite and eventual impressive winner was Defoe, owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and trained by Roger Varian at Newmarket.
The two divisions of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden Stakes were informative and both winners may meet in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot according to their trainers, Brian Meehan and Richard Hannon.
Adjutant scrambled home to win the first division, but the second division was won in decisive fashion by Raymond Tusk, a very good looking three-year-old who will not look out of place wherever he goes.
Top spot on the second day of Dubai Duty Free Spring Classic Trials meeting went to James Garfield, winner of the Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Supporting Greatwood Greenham Stakes, He was a quite decisive winner from the favourite, Sir Michael Stoute's Expert Eye.
Climax to a fascinating days racing was the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Handicap GBP 12,500 for four-year-olds and above over ten furlongs. As John Mackie, the winning trainer who has a comparatively small string in the Midlands, said he is usually found at the lesser tracks.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free together with Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice President – Corporate Services and Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice President-Marketing were on hand to present trophies to the winning connections in each of the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored races.
Dubai Duty Free’s horseracing activities continue with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh in June and the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot in August before returning to Newbury for the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend in September.
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