Emirati owners bagged a couple of prizes from the seven that were up for grabs on Day-3 of the Royal Ascot festival on Thursday.
Perfect Power won the opening Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in the colours of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook, while Mohaafeth carried the Shadwell silks to take the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes 35 minutes later.
Richard Fahey-trained Perfect Power produced an emotional victory for jockey Paul Hanagan on his return from a serious back injury that could have ended his career.
“I don't usually get emotional but I’m lucky to be here at all after the accident,” he said of his thrilling victory over Go Bears Go and Project Dante by a head and nose respectively.
“It’s just an amazing feeling, just to get back here, never mind a winner at Royal Ascot. I fractured my back in three places after a fall at Newcastle and it was touch and go whether I was going to be back.
“I owe so much to the Injured Jockeys Fund and Jack Berry House at Malton. My family and obviously Richard Fahey has been amazing along with my agent Richard Hales and everyone at the yard.”
Jim Crowley on Mohaafeth survived the stewards inquiry after the horse drifted towards the inside rail to take the second race from Aidan O’Brien’s Roman Empire.
“We've always liked him,” Crowley said. “It was funny race – they went flat out down to the bend and there was a lot of bouncing around in front of me going on.
“I ended up getting there way too soon, he lugged into the rail and wasn't doing a stroke in front.”
His trainer William Haggas added: “He definitely crossed the second, but I think he won quite nicely. He's a pretty decent horse and his work has always been nice and he loves quick ground.”
Subjectivist under Joe Fanning landed the Group 1 Gold Cup, the highlight of the festival’s third day.
The four-year-old Teofilo colt romped clear of Princess Zoe and Spanish Moon. Stradivarius, bidding for a record fourth win in the race, was fourth.
Subjectivist, who won the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on the Dubai World Cup night at Meydan in March, also provided his handler Mark Johnston with his fourth Ascot Gold Cup.
“He's been a great horse this year and he just keeps improving,” Fanning said. “Around five out and before the home bend I was able to get breathers into him and fill him up and I thought it would take a very good one to go by him.
“I was confident in his stamina. In Dubai he was doing his best work near the end and I never felt stamina or the ground was any issue.”
