Spirit gets charmed run in QE II

Olivier Peslier made the perfect start to his new job as retained rider to

Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani when winning Saturday's Group 1 Queen

Elizabeth II Stakes aboard Charm Spirit.

The 5-1 shot was always traveling sweetly and hit the front a furlong from

home alongside Tullius as the longtime leaders began to fade. Night of Thunder

rallied late, but after a nightmare passage in which the 2-1 favorite had to

alter course several times before finding running room. Charm Spirit kept

finding more to hold Night of Thunder by a half-length at the line.

Trainer Freddie Head was full of praise for Charm Spirit and pointed out that

his colt has courage as well as class.

"It's magnificent -- three Group 1s in a row!" enthused Head, alluding to

prior victories in the Prix Jean Prat and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. "He's not

a horse who will win by five lengths but he is very difficult to pass him. He is

very tough.

"I am delighted. What more can you ask for? A great race, a great horse and

very good owners -- all is well. He was fifth in the Guineas which wasn't bad as

it was a vintage Guineas and I knew that he was a much better horse today. 

"It's always difficult to come here and win, especially on that

straight. I was a bit scared of the distance and the ground but he showed that

he could stay and he is a real fighter and warrior. He was finishing and running

on and I am so happy with him."

Peslier was understandably delighted.

"I finished my retainer with the Wertheimers and now I have a

new opportunity having signed up for the new job last week and have won a Group

1 on my first ride," said Peslier. "It's very special as the race is sponsored

by QIPCO and all the family is here.

"I was worried because I thought we might be getting there too

early today as he has a very good turn of foot. But he's also a horse that likes

to battle.

"I ride the race the way I think. I came a little bit early on

that ground but he is very generous so, when I took the lead, I kept going and

he always responds. It was a really good win today for the family and everybody

who is here -- it's wonderful."

Richard Hannon, the champion trainer-elect in his first season

holding the family license, was left with mixed feelings after his charges Night

of Thunder and 25-1 shot Toormore finished second and third.

Just two half-lengths separated the trio and while Hannon was

delighted with the return to top form of last season's leading juvenile Toormore,

he was a little muted about Night of Thunder after Richard Hughes plotted a

far-from-straight course on the Two Thousand Guineas winner.

At the back early, Hughes went to the outside of the field

before finding his path blocked and having to switch left launch his final

thrust between the winner and the stands' side rail. But the margin of Charm

Spirit's superiority when they finished first and third (with another Hannon

inmate, Toronado, intervening) in last month's Prix du Moulin at Longchamp was

the same.

"The winner is clearly a very good horse," said Hannon with

feeling, "But there's not much between the three of them. It's a shame they all

collected on the rail instead of running down the center, because you're bound

to get a bit of bunching and hard-luck stories and Hughsie had to go where he

could find daylight. It was a bit messy but that's racing."

"He's run a blinder in what proved a very messy race," Hughes

said. "They were all in a heap. I managed to get onto Peslier's backside at the

two-furlong pole and I wanted to go to the right of him, but when I kicked I

didn't have the horse to get in there quick, so I couldn't take my chance and

was forced to switch him left (of the eventual winner) in order to get a clear

run.

"At the furlong pole I thought I would beat him, but the winner

was very brave and kept pulling out more. You have to be quick to get the gaps

in races like this and I wasn't quick enough today. The winner held me all the

way to the line and once we had passed the line, I didn't go flying past him."

The stewards ruled that Hughes used his whip above the permitted level and

suspended Hughes for four days -- November 1 and 3-5

Both Night of Thunder and Toormore are set to stay in training

as four-year-olds.

"I'd say we were unlucky and maybe we'll even the score next

year," added Hannon.

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