With the likes of racing’s powerhouses – Godolphin and Coolmore – rising to the top in the feature events already this week, day four beckoned the turn of a smaller force in the Group 2 Qatar King George Stakes.
The David Griffiths-trained Take Cover, displayed his typical exuberance to become the first horse since the Jeff Smith-owned Lochsong to win the five furlong contest on two occasions.
As expected, the nine-year-old was quickly away from the starting gate and took the 17-runner field along. King’s Stand runner-up Cotai Glory, was hot on the leaders heels as was last year’s winner Muthmir under Paul Hanagan.
The main body of the field began to bunch up three furlongs out and gradually concertinaed towards the far side. David Allan got to work aboard Take Cover in the final two furlongs and was pressed on all sides by a host of challengers while drifting to the far side rail.
Nevertheless, he stuck out his neck in determined fashion to hold on from the strongly closing Ballydoyle-challenger Washington DC and last years Prix de l’Abbaye hero, Goldream.
For Yorkshire-based Allan, this victory is by far his biggest of the season to date. He last tasted Group success aboard another sprinter in the shape of Mattmu, for his boss Tim Easterby in Ireland last year.
“He’s absolutely just raw speed,” reflected Allan. “He really battles in a finish as well and he doesn’t give up and obviously given the chance to ride one of these takes a bit of doing.”
The son of Singspiel is no doubt the apple of his trainer’s eye – who himself was forced to quit the saddle in 2000 having ridden over 100 winners. Based just south of Doncaster in Bawtry, Griffiths trains no more than 20 thoroughbreds and is well supported by the winners owner and breeder, Norcroft Park Stud.
Take Cover gave his trainer a first Group win in the same race in 2014 and the gelding only narrowly missed out in the contest last year, finishing a head behind another of today’s opponents, Muthmir.
Griffiths said: “I’m nearly speechless, he’s amazing and he’s still as good as ever at nine.
“He’s obviously a bit mad but he’s calmed down as he’s got older but on the track we seem to have it spot on with the blind off and after the Nunthorpe debacle we had to do something different.”
I’m nearly speechless, he’s amazing and he’s still as good as ever at nine
Earlier in the afternoon, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Thikriyaat made no mistake in the hands of Hanagan, despite finding trouble in running in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.
The three-year-old son of Azamour was coming into the race after a fine effort in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and although short of room two furlongs out, found a gap and got on top in the run to the line securing success by half-a-length from stable companion Forge.
Stoute was to have a treble on the day, his first coming with Khalid Abdullah’s Kings Fete in the opening Betfred Glorious Stakes.
Arguably an unlucky loser last time out, the gelding was positioned in a handy third by Ryan Moore throughout much of the contest behind Mount Logan and the pacesetter Ayrad.
Kings Fete came upsides the leader a furlong and a half out as the pair drew clear of the remainder, but the favourite gradually edged ahead to triumph by just under a length, scoring at Group 3 level for the first time.
