Persian Dreamer upsets Star Of Mystery in Duchess of Cambridge

Simon Milham
July 14, 2023 2:19 pm

First Group-race victory for trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis.

Persian Dreamer downed the long odds-on favourite Star Of Mystery in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.

Kevin Stott ensured it was a happy birthday for Amo Racing boss Kia Joorabchian in the fillies’ Group Two contest, which had looked at the mercy of Charlie Appleby’s Star Of Mystery once George Boughey’s Soprano was declared a non-runner due to a medication mix-up.

Two of the four runners were trained by Dominic French Davis, with his second string Thanksbutnothanks taking the field along early and the favourite close by.

Persian Dreamer got back to winning ways (David Davies/PA)

But Persian Dreamer (5-1) – one place behind Soprano when fourth in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot – quickened impressively when asked and went on to win by a length and three-quarters, giving Stott a swift double after victory aboard the Charlie Johnston-trained Killybegs Warrior in the opening handicap.

Star Of Mystery (1-6) was a second odds-on favourite of Appleby’s to be beaten at the meeting following Adayar’s defeat on Thursday.

Ffrench Davis, celebrating his first Group winner, said: “We hit the crossbar a few times. It is a relief to win a Group race at last. She’s a smashing filly and has done nothing wrong all year, but needs to get her toe in the ground.

“We were praying for the rain today and it has come. I hoped it would rain.

“She was the last horse off the bridle at Ascot, she just doesn’t let herself down when the ground is as fast as that.

“I think she will be a lovely filly going forward. When she won on the Rowley Mile, I always felt that she might go on to be a Guineas filly next year.

“She gives you that sort of a feel. She’s done her bit for the moment and we will wait for the ground to be right and make sure the race is right and hope she will be going for a little soft-ground Group One in the autumn.

Persian Dreamer scores at Newmarket for owner Kia Joorabchian and trainer Dominic Ffrench-Davies in the Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge at Newmarket. Guineas possible next season? @PAracing pic.twitter.com/N1eIM3SnwC
— Simon Milham (@simonmilham) July 14, 2023

“We have got some nice horses, but never would have had this sort of class of horse at all (before Amo’s backing).”

Of the beaten market leader, Appleby said: “As we know with these small-runner events, they can become quite messy.

“It was contested early and she was lit up for the first couple of furlongs. Will (Buick) said she hit the lids and the other horse was sat on our girths and keeping us lit up. They got a nice tow into it and they picked up and saw it out better than we did.

“It is tough out there on the front with a headwind and it just paid that last couple of hundred yards.

“Fair play to the winner, they have got a nice tow and got cover pulled her out and picked her up.

“Small fields are the annoying ones, they can be more messy than the bigger ones. Our filly didn’t lose too much in defeat, but I think she’ll be better when she gets a bit of cover.

“She is most definitely a sprinter. Whether we look down the Lowther route or something, we’ll see. She is a this-year filly, on the scope of her anyway.”