The Darley stallions enjoyed a successful afternoon at Ascot on 25 September, when Spirit of Dubai (Cape Cross) landed the Listed Princess Royal Stakes, shortly after Exceed And Excel (pictured) and Dubawi were responsible for the first two home in the valuable Watership Down Stud Sales race.
Shamandar (Exceed And Excel) took the £123,000 first prize in the six-furlong juvenile fillies’ contest, narrowly beating Dubawi’s daughter Dubawi Heights. Sent off as the 8/11 bookmaker’s favourite, Shamandar was kept close to the pace by jockey Michael Hills before laying down her challenge with a furlong left to run. Dubawi Heights battled well close to home, but could not quite match her rival and had to settle for second place, beaten just half a length.
Trained by William Haggas, Shamandar has been a wonderfully consistent performer, recording three wins and two seconds from five starts including victory in the Listed Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes earlier this month and was beaten just a short head in the St Hugh’s Stakes by Dubawi’s Sand Vixen, who has since gone on to win the G2 Flying Childers Stakes.
Shamandar is now likely to line up in next week’s G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, where Dubawi Heights could also run.
Bred by Team Hogdala and now running in the colours of Bob and Pauline Scott, Shamandar is out of the Theatrical mare Sensational Mover, herself a daughter of multiple Group winner Blushing Heiress.
In the next race on the Ascot card, Spirit Of Dubai became a new Black type winner for Cape Cross when staying on well to win the Listed Princess Royal Stakes.
Settled towards the rear of the field, the David Simcock-trained filly squeezed through the smallest of gaps in the closing stages and prevailed by a short head from favourite Polly's Mark (by retired Darley stallion Mark Of Esteem) in a blanket finish.
Bred by D J Bloodstock, G Roddick & Wrottesley Ltd, Spirit Of Dubai is out of the winning Rainbow Quest mare Questina, who is now dam of three Stakes winners.
