Al Shaqab was the proud sponsor of Saturday meeting at Newbury in England, featuring the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (Gr1) and the Al Rayyan Stakes (Gr3) as the main races. 
Rhododendron was the winner of the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, following a thrilling finish over a mile. There was only a short head between Ryan Moore-ridden four-year-old filly and the Qatar Racing-owned Lightning Spear. David Simcock’s ward finished runner-up for the second straight time in the race under Oisin Murphy.
“We’ve been very happy with her since the last day and we were hoping she had progressed. Obviously, we were going back to a mile and she hadn’t been back there since she ran in the Guineas last year,” Rhododendron trainer Aidan O’Brien said.
“We thought that whatever she did today, she would move up a bit. We thought we would come here and then on to Ascot. We have the option of a mile or a mile and a quarter. We’ll have a good chat with Ryan, the lads always talk after the races and we’ll see what they want to do closer to Ascot.”
Crystal Ocean showed his class in the Al Rayyan Stakes. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year old was very impressive, also under Moore, taking the lead inside the final two furlongs and crossing the line six lengths clear of the runner-up Second Step, ridden by Andrea Atzeni for trainer Roger Charlton.
“We expected him to win. He is a very consistent, progressive and versatile horse and we hoped he could win that. He has got good form over 10 and 12 furlongs and he has been second in a St Leger. He is a joy to train. We’ve got him in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Hardwicke and Eclipse. We are going to try to work it out, but we don’t need to decide today,” Stoute said after the win.
The seven-race card saw the O’Brien-Moore combine pick up another win with The Irish Rover taking the six-furlong Olympic Glory Conditions Stakes.
Hugo Palmer-trained Never Back Down won Shalaa Carnarvon Stakes (Listed), the opening run of the meeting where six races were named after Al Shaqab’s horses and one after the outfit’s stable in France, Haras de Bouquetot.
Al Zubarah London Gold Cup Handicap was won by Mark Johnston-saddled Communique, while William Haggas’ ward Sea of Class took Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes (Listed). John Gosden-trained Pouvoir Magique took the Toronado Handicap, the last race of the meeting.


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