Persistent rain proved no barrier to a great afternoon of racing on day two of the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend at Newbury on Saturday, with several top-quality performances and thrilling finishes featuring in an action-packed eight-race card.
The day’s most prestigious Pattern race, the £75,000 Gr2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes, has proved a springboard for future stars Ribchester (2015) and Harry Angel (2016) in recent years, and this year’s winner Kessaar (100/30) also looks to have a bright future following a decisive victory.
Kessaar scores under Frankie Dettori (Pic – Newbury Racecourse)
The John Gosden-trained colt led for virtually all of the six-furlong contest for two-year-olds and found plenty for Frankie Dettori after being briefly headed by True Mason (3/1, Karl Burke/Ben Curtis) entering the final furlong to score by two and three-quarter lengths.
Kessaar had previously captured the Gr3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park and a step up to Gr1 level now beckons for the son of Kodiac in the Criterium International at Longchamp, France, on October 28.
Gosden, winning the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes for the first time, said: “We didn’t know if Kessaar would handle the soft ground today, but it won’t worry us again.
“The Criterium International used to be a mile but they’ve dropped it to seven furlongs and we are all going to Paris.”
Dettori added: “We knew Kessaar handled soft, but weren’t sure about this. He showed good courage too, as the other one passed me. He finished the race and isn’t just a six-furlong horse.”
Burke has his eye on Ascot’s Gr3 Cornwallis Stakes for the runner-up and said: “True Mason a high-class colt and he loves that ground. He just got outstayed by a better stayer on the day.
“Ben thought it was a matter of how far, and so did I, but he just couldn’t get away from Kessaar and then in the last half furlong he’s gone away from us.
“I was thinking of the Middle Park if he won, but the Cornwallis looks the ideal race for him now. It would be nice to win a Group race before we put him away.”
