Fairy Glen strikes for the Crisfords in Dubai Gold Cup

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Fairy Glen outbattled George Scott’s Caballo Del Mar in an all-British finish to the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

The mount of Mickael Barzalona ran out a half-length winner in a race where Tom Clover’s Al Nayyir was back in third and the victor could now drop significantly in trip for an appearance at York’s Dante meeting in May.

Simon Crisford said: “She’s got a nice turn of foot and showed it tonight. She’s very honest, very brave, a good filly and now a dual Group Two winner. She’ll probably go back and run in the Middleton Stakes next.

“That’s back over a mile and a quarter and I wouldn’t rule out at all trips like this again, but I think we can pick and choose our spots from now on.

“Once she got to the front I really thought she wouldn’t get caught, I fancied her to win at that point because she’s tough.”

Jamie Osborne’s Brotherly Love was fourth as Daisuke Takayanagi’s Wonder Dean gave Japan a fifth-straight victory in the UAE Derby to book his ticket to the Kentucky Derby, while David Jacobson’s Banishing took the opening Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Emaar.

There was also no joy for Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat in the Al Quoz Sprint as the mount of James Doyle could only finish third behind the home team’s Native Approach.

It was Connor Beasley who was aboard Ahmad bin Harmash’s winner and he said: “He’s a bundle of speed and when I first sat on him at the start of the season I did say to the boss he feels like a sprinter.

“He puts his heart on his sleeve every morning, he’s not easy. Once the Japanese horse came to me tonight he was very determined.

“It’s a great team to be a part of. I think this is my eighth season with Ahmad and I came over here as second jockey to him and it all just fell into place, right place, right time.

“He’s been a big supporter and put plenty of trust in me and it just shows when a team clicks it goes through to the horses as well as the people as well.”

Beasley and Bin Harmash then doubled up as Dark Saffron defended his title in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.