Another Group 2 success came the way of Poker Face last week as the Marlhill House-bred came out on top to a tight finish in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan in Dubai.
Making his Dubai debut for Simon and Ed Crisford, the Fastnet Rock gelding dived through horses to nail Holloway Boy on the line.
“We got racing from three [furlongs, 600m] out and I had a lovely position to keep things smooth with him,” said jockey Pat Dobbs. “I got in behind William [Buick, on Noble Dynasty] halfway down the back and I was happy with where I was then. I thought a furlong out we’d pick up William and then I saw Danny on the other side was probably half a length in front of me.
“This horse has improved as a six-year-old.”
Now the winner of eight of 20 starts for Edward Ware, Poker Face enjoyed a productive four-year-old season when various international raids resulted in a pair of wins in the Group 3 Prix Quincey and Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein. He also won last year’s Listed Hyde Stakes at Kempton and was Group 2-placed on another four occasions.
Poker Face (pictured as a yearling) was bred by Marlhill House Stud out of Stars At Night, a Galileo half-sister to Classic heroine Blue Bunting who previously clicked with Fastnet Rock to produce American stakes winner Star Devine. He was sold through the Marlhill House draft to Richard Frisby on behalf of current connections at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.