Very impressive Masar storms to Craven glory

Masar announced himself as a major contender for the first British Classic, the G1 2,000 Guineas, as he routed the opposition in the G3 Craven Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on Thursday, 19 April. 

The three-year-old New Approach colt, switching back to turf for trainer Charlie Appleby after disappointing on dirt in the Listed Al Bastakiya Sponsored By emirates.com at Meydan, UAE, on 10 March, broke well and was immediately sent to the front of the six runners by William Buick. 

Masar gradually quickened up the pace as the race went on. He ran on strongly approaching the final quarter of a mile and soon had his rivals in trouble.

The Godolphin runner quickened again inside the final furlong to score easily and unchallenged by nine lengths from White Mocha in 1m 38.15s on good ground. 

Roaring Lion finished third, a head behind White Mocha, with a further four lengths back to Glorious Journey (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle), who faded after briefly disputing third over a furlong from home. 

Charlie Appleby said: “As Masar hit the rising ground, he extended further away. 

“He is a horse that we held in high regard as a two-year-old and we had to put a line through his run out in Dubai. 

“There was no intention to run him out in Dubai, but he was just getting a bit too well and we needed to take the gas out of him. 

“I was never going to lose anything by running him out there on dirt – he was either going to adapt to the surface and potentially become a UAE Derby horse or, if not, we were going to get a run under our belt to come here fit and well. 

“What I liked about Masar today was his demeanour - he is growing up all time. He walked around like a professional, has gone out there and done a professional job. 

“The intention was to always have one horse on the front and one on the back. Masar was always going to be on the front end because we felt that, if it turned into a bit of a dogfight up the hill, it was going to be his edge. 

“William said that he quickened twice – before the dip and again up the hill. He has got quicker and is a far stronger individual now. 

“Whatever he did as a juvenile, he was always going to be a three-year-old and, hopefully, he is a nice one. 

“The natural race is to come back here in a couple of weeks for the 2,000 Guineas (1m, 5 May).  

“We were confident coming into this race that he was going to be a player – either win or finish second – and we hoped that it would pitch us into the Guineas, so that’s where it looks like we are going to be. 

“Glorious Journey will come forward for today, whereas Masar was fit and ready, and hopefully he has a bright future.

“When you start off on this pedestal, you have to try and stay there! It’s a huge team effort and this horse has only just come back from Dubai, so I must thank the team over there who have done a great job in keeping him where we wanted him to be. 

“It’s a huge team and I am delighted that the horses are running well.”

William Buick commented: “Charlie, James Doyle and myself sat down this morning and Charlie was very keen for Glorious Journey to get a tow into the race. He has only raced twice and is not as experienced as Masar. 

“We could not see much pace in the race and Masar relaxed lovely in front. It was a very good performance.

“He has been showing flashes of brilliance both at home and on the track. He always looked a two-year-old that was going to be a better three-year-old. Let’s hope it happens because I thought that was a really good performance.

“It was his first time on dirt at Meydan. The surface was an unknown, as was the style of racing. There is a lot of gate speed early and a lot of horses around him, and basically I am trying to get him out of his comfort zone too early. 

“The race was run completely on the flip side of what he wants. We knew straight away that we had to put a line through it and he showed today that he is a grass horse.

“I think he could stay, possibly, but he has an awful lot of speed as well. He has a great turn of foot. It just looks now that he is putting everything together. He is relaxing lovely and is a great mover with a fantastic pedigree.

“I don’t think that I have ridden many horses that handle the Rowley Mile as well as he did because he was still quickening into and down the dip before seeing it out on the rising finish. It was a really good performance and a very exciting one.

“He feels like the finished article now. What happened at the back of last year in the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t the horse’s fault at all, so it is just nice that he has got everything together now. 

“He loves good ground and handles the track, so it is exciting. It’s great to have quality horses with quality breeding behind them. On top of that, they are healthy and well, so long may it continue.”