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Qatar: Bentley is Blue Eye boy after Emir's Trophy win

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The Blue Eye (Harry Bentley)

Harry Bentley celebrates Emir’s Trophy victory on The Blue Eye

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By Scott Burton 7:54PM 27 FEB 2016 

Report: Qatar, Saturday

Doha: H H The Emir’s Trophy presented by Longines (Local Group 1) 1m4f, 3yo+

THE lion’s share of the prize-money on the most important day of the Qatar racing calendar eluded a strong challenge from the raiding British trainers.

But it was two of the many visiting riding talents who shone in the pair of $1 million races which closed the card, as Harry Bentley capped a treble when streaking to success in the Emir’s Trophy on The Blue Eye, while Richard Mullen won the big race of the day for purebred arabians, the Emir’s Sword.

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Bentley travelled the shortest way round the tight Al Rayyan track, although was still in the third wave of runners turning in aboard The Blue Eye, who is trained – like Dubday, the hero of this race in each of the last two years – by Jassim Al Ghazali, who notched five of the seven winners on the day.

But the race was settled in a matter of strides and Bentley had plenty of time to celebrate as he finished four lengths clear of the fast-finishing Billabong and long-time leader Fort Moville.

Bentley said: “I’ve concentrated my winters out here for the last three seasons so to come to a big meeting like this with a good book of rides and for it then to come off on the big day – especially on a horse like The Blue Eye – is really important to me.”

Dubday went on to provide his connections with a landmark Group 3 success at Goodwood and Bentley believes The Blue Eye is capable of a similar level of form.

“He’s a very consistent performer and his last three runs have been very good so I don’t see why he can’t pick up a Group 3 prize like Dubday did.”

Billabong ran on from the rear to snatch second on the line for Pascal Bary and Cristian Demuro, while Agent Murphy also came home strongly to finish best of three British-trained raiders in fourth.

Agent Murphy’s trainer Brian Meehan said: “The track wasn’t ideal but it was a good run. I’d like to take him to the Sheema Classic because on a better track and with a stronger pace he’d run a better race.”

Tashaar and Frankie Dettori faded in the closing stages to be 13th, just ahead of the David O’Meara-trained Afonso De Sousa.

Mullen lands Sprint

Mullen took the win in the Katara Sprint aboard Izzthatright, with Dettori third on Golden Steps, but much better was to follow when the Julian Smart-trained Gazwan got the better of stablemate Assy and defending champion Al Mourtajez in the Emir’s Sword, the race which gives its name to the entire three-day festival.

“Gazwan has been very consistent but you have to take your hat off to Julian Smart, who is a first-class trainer,” said Mullen, who is based in Dubai for most of the year bar a short stint each summer with Godolphin in Newmarket.

“We go back a long way and, when I first went to Dubai 16 years ago, he was the first trainer to give me a ride. We’ve had a long association and it’s great to win one of these for him.”

 

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