By Tom Frary
Paying tribute to his G1 Dubai Sheema Classic conqueror Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Handassa {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) blitzed his better-fancied rivals to register a clear personal-best in Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in California in November. Anchored in last early by Jim Crowley, the 10-1 shot who had been freshened up since his fourth in that Meydan feature swung wide of the warring Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) entering the straight. Blowing by them two out, the Gosdens' surprise package registered an impressive four-length success from the 2-1 favourite Luxembourg, who had half a length to spare over Adayar.
John Gosden, who was saddling his fifth winner of the race, admitted to an element of surprise. “I was expecting him to pick up well in the straight, but not to make them look like they were standing still,” he said. “He did that in Riyadh; he won the Neom Cup and just flew away. When the ground dries up, he's a brilliant horse. If you check the form book, he took on a certain Japanese horse in the Sheema Classic and a mile and a half is beyond him–he's a mile-and-a-quarter horse, but he was the one who put it up to them and gave it his best go.”
Wow… devastatingly good 😮
Mostahdaf cruises five lengths clear in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes 🥇
pic.twitter.com/VvfQifMbEI— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) June 21, 2023
Left out of most equations heading to this, Mostahdaf who is a son of Shadwell's amazing producer Handassa had continued to improve in the background this Spring while his key rivals slugged it out at Newmarket, The Curragh, Newbury and ParisLongchamp. This was not the same horse who a year ago had been blown away by Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in Sandown's G3 Brigadier Gerard S. and who had flopped so markedly in the G2 Princess of Wales's S. at Newmarket's July Festival. This was the Mostahdaf who put Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) in his place under a penalty in the G3 September S. on Kempton's Polytrack and who was so rampant in Saudi Arabia in February.
What was so remarkable about this renewal was the fact that the front-running Luxembourg, Adayar who blew the start and My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) failed to register a split after the first two furlongs under 12 seconds, with Bay Bridge only just dipping below as he tried to make up ground from rear to two out. Mostahdaf, on the day the only true mile-and-a-quarter horse in the field, destroyed his rivals with splits of 11.66 and 11.80 between the three and the furlong pole and was still faster throughout the final furlong.
With such an audacious display of superiority, the now fully-mature winner fits into the best at this trip with only stablemate Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the 3-year-old generation to fear. “What's the plan now? That might have been the plan!,” Gosden Sr added. “I always find the Eclipse comes too close. I'd wait for the Juddmonte International; that would be the race for me. He likes to run fresh, so that should be the big target.”
Jim Crowley said, “He bolted in in Saudi over a mile and a quarter on fast ground and didn't quite stay against Equinox [in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan] when he served it up to the winner, went after him and then got tired. John and Thady brought him back fresh and he was bouncing coming into the race today. From my draw, I went with Plan B, took a sit and it worked out really well. We went an even pace and he took he into the race extremely well. I may have gone for home too soon, but I didn't want to disappoint him and he wanted to go. I didn't expect him to win like that, although we've always held him in high regard. He's a son of Frankel and probably only just coming to himself now.”
Luxembourg had no excuses and shaped like a step up in trip is in order. “He ran very well, we are very happy,” Aidan O'Brien said. “The plan was that we would have a look at the King George after today anyway, so it's possible, but we will see how he is. He is always going to get a mile and a half well, as we know.”
That will also be the plan for Adayar, with Charlie Appleby setting his sights on a repeat of his 2021 success in the July showcase. “The set-up of the race didn't probably work out for Adayar and they went steady enough,” he said. “Take nothing way from the winner, who has picked up well, but on that evidence it looks as though we will step back up to a mile and a half for the King George. We have always wanted to try and win over a mile and a quarter, because we know for his CV it would be a good feather in the cap. As we know for all those Derby winners, everyone wants to see them drop back to the 10 furlongs. We've tried, tested and unfortunately at the top level, we haven't succeeded.”
Pedigree Notes
Handassa, who scored at listed level, first made her mark as a broodmare when her daughter Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) captured the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at this meeting three years ago before going to score in the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. After Mostahdaf is the 3-year-old TDN Rising Star Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was sixth in Tuesday's G1 St James's Palace S. but who could be destined for greater things if he follows the same trajectory as his half-siblings.
Handassa, a bargain 100,000gns purchase by Shadwell from Red House Stud at the 2009 Book 1 Sale, is a half-sister to the GII San Gabriel S. winner and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile-placed Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and a granddaughter of Star (GB) (Most Welcome {GB}), who produced the pair of group 1-winning sprinters in Pastoral Pursuits (GB) and Goodricke (GB) from matings with Bahamian Bounty (GB). Handassa's 2-year-old Mutaawid (GB) is a full-brother to the winner, while she also has a yearling colt by Kingman (GB).
Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
PRINCE OF WALES'S S.-G1, £1,000,000, Ascot, 6-21, 4yo/up, 9f 212yT, 2:05.95, gd.
1–MOSTAHDAF (IRE), 128, h, 5, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Handassa (GB) (SW-Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Starstone (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Star (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £567,100. Lifetime Record: GSW-KSA, 15-9-2-0, $2,278,118. *1/2 to Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), MG1SW-Eng, $409,959. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Luxembourg (Ire), 128, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £215,000.
3–Adayar (Ire), 128, h, 5, Frankel (GB)–Anna Salai, by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £107,600.
Margins: 4, HF, 2. Odds: 10.00, 2.00, 3.33.
Also Ran: My Prospero (Ire), Bay Bridge (GB), Classic Causeway.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
