Already a winner of one of the valuable handicaps that make up the Bahrain Turf Series back on Dec. 8, Victorious Racing's Isle of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) negotiated the hike into black-type company with aplomb, winning Friday's $150,000 Listed Crown Prince's Cup with a fair bit of authority.
Immediately dropped out to the tail, Isle of Jura was given a quiet ride by Callum Shepherd, as the commonly owned Rollajam (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) galloped them along in advance of American Flag (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The pacemaker had run his race fully 600 metres from home, as American Flag inherited the lead under a full head of steam entering the straight. But Isle of Jura worked his way into the clear and found plenty inside the final furlong before stretching away to win for the first time at stakes level. Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who defeated Isle of Jura by a nose in another Bahrain Turf Series race over course and distance Dec. 29, finished third. The Godolphin team of Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}, Charlie Appleby) and local King's Cup hero Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}, Saeed bin Suroor) were never dangerous, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
“I just love the way he has grown up since he's been here, he now relaxes very well and he'll give himself every chance of getting further,” the winning jockey commented. “Being over here, it's really made a man of him.
“This horse means a great deal to George and I. We have always taken this horse very seriously and for him to do that in front of his owners on home soil is really special, we're delighted.”
Added Scott: “He's a lovely horse and he's clearly improving. He's bred to be a good horse and the sky is the limit with him, although we will just enjoy today first. It's well documented that [Victorious principle] His Highness Shaikh Nasser has been a huge supporter of mine and to repay him in this way is so exciting.”
Isle of Jura began his career for his breeder and Appleby, finishing unplaced in a Wolverhampton novice in November 2022 before changing hands for 150,000gns at last year's Tattersalls Ascot March Sale. For this trainer, the bay was victorious in handicap company at Newbury July 21 and eight days later at Newmarket.
The well-related Isle of Jura, a 62nd worldwide black-type winner for his sire, is out of a daughter of French listed-winning 2002 G1 Pouliches runner-up Firth of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), whose son Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) led home a Godolphin 1-2 in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. She is also the dam of the stakes-winning and G1 St James's Palace S. second Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}) and Etive (Elusive Quality), a listed winner in Germany. This is also the family of Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), popular winner of the G1 Metropolitan H. at Randwick last September. Falls of Lora is also represented by a 2-year-old Night of Thunder (Ire) colt and a yearling colt by Dubawi.
International raiders stole the show in the 1200-metre The Hawar Cup, as the Michael Owen co-owned and Hugo Palmer-trained Roman Dragon (GB) (Heeraat {Ire}) beat out Brazen Bolt (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) from the barn of John and Sean Quinn by a half-length.
“We're absolutely delighted,” said the former England striker, who campaigns the 5-year-old with Nick Hughes. “He has got speed to burn, but we often think he's better round a turning track than a straight track, so today is a lovely surprise. We thought beforehand Box To Box (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) would be in the first three and this horse would be in the last three, but it happened the other way round!”
Box To Box was down the field in the Anchorman Cup, the afternoon's other BTS event over 1800m, a race won by former local champion Ecosystem (Ire) (Al Rifai {Ire}).
Owen continued: “Me and Nick own the horse; I bred him and we've owned him all his life. It's my first time here and I am really enjoying it. My old boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, stood here not so long ago having won the big race, the Bahrain International Trophy [with Spirit Dancer {GB}], so it's clearly a lucky spot.”
CROWN PRINCE'S CUP SPONSORED BY CEBARCO-Listed, $150,000, Sakhir (Bahrain), 2-2, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:03.01, gd/fm.
1–ISLE OF JURA (GB), 126, g, 4, New Approach (Ire)–Falls of Lora (Ire) (GSW-UAE, SW-Eng, $246,417), by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (£150,000 HRA '23 TATMAR). O-Victorious; B-Godolphin; T-George Scott; J-Callum Shepherd; $90,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-0, $167,164. *Full to Cascadian (GB), MG1SW-Aus, G1SP-Fr, $5,925,891; half to Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GISW-Can, SW-Eng, $236,981.
2–American Flag (Ire), 126, g, 5, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Sequester (GB), by Selkirk. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (125,000gns HRA '22 TATAUT). O-Al Adiyat Racing; B-Bjorn Nielsen; T-Allan Smith; J-Gerald Mosse. $30,000.
3–Lucander (Ire), 126, g, 7, Footstepsinthesand (GB)–Lady Sefton (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€26,000 Wlg '17 GOFNOV; 28,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Nigel Jones & Paul Bowden; B-Mr John Connolly; T-George Baker; J-Pat Cosgrave. $18,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, HF, 1.
Also Ran: Zagato (GB), Local Dynasty (Ire), Passion And Glory (Ire), Sovereign Spirit (GB), Duc de Kent (Fr), Rollajam (Ire). Click for the Bahrain Turf Club result.
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