Olympic Glory too good for Moohaajim

Sheikh Jooan Bin Mohammed's runner lands the Group 3 contest over seven furlongs.

Richard Hughes rides Olympic Glory to victory in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury racecourse.

Newbury, England // Olympic Glory proved far too good for Moohaajim in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

The much billed showdown between the two European Classic prospects never materialised as Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani's runner landed the Group 3 contest over seven furlongs.

For all the promise shown by Moohaajim during the middle of the race he was never on level terms and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa's runner had to give way to the unfancied Sir Patrick Moore, who took second.

"Two furlongs out he looked as if he was coming to do something," Martin Harley, Moohaajim's despondent jockey, said.

"He just seemed to flatten out and stayed on. It was his first run of the season so he will definitely come on for that."

Harley held up Moohaajim off a dawdling pace set by Eddie Ahern on Correspondent with Hidden Coin, the only other runner, sitting behind.

Olympic Glory appeared to be in trouble just as Harley pressed the accelerator on his mount but with a furlong to go Olympic Glory collected himself and pressed on for the line under Richard Hughes.

Whereas Olympic Glory is to go on to contest the French 2000 Guineas next month, Marco Botti must now go back to the drawing board with Moohaajim, who may miss the English equivalent in two weeks time.

"The ground is a little bit dead, but he ran a respectable race," the trainer said. "We were there to win, but respect to the winner, who is a top-class horse.

"We will see how he comes out of the race before we make a final decision about the Guineas."

The entire card was sponsored by Dubai Duty Free and runners with connections to the Emirate ruled the undercard.

Maureen, owned by Ahmad Alkhallafi, who works for a telecommunications company in Dubai, won the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes, while Universal bounced back from a poor Dubai World Cup Carnival to hand trainer Mark Johnston and Silvestre de Sousa a win in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes.