Monday 28 July 2003
So devastating was his victory over a field of 10 other previous Group I winners that Nigel Gray, senior handicapper for the BHB, gave him a rating of 131, the highest since 1992. He then commented: “Going into the race it looked like a field full of stars with ten of the 12 runners rated 118 or more, and we were looking for a superstar to emerge – and Alamshar fits the bill.”
Always travelling smoothly just behind the leaders, Alamshar took an impressive five length lead early in the straight, and then won unchallenged. This breathtaking performance prompted Alamshar’s jockey Johnny Murtagh to comment: “After demolishing a top-class field like today he must be near the top of the list of the best I have ridden and he’s going to get better.”
John Oxx added: “Certainly that performance today was equal to Sinndar’s performance in the Arc,” before going on to confirm that the colt’s next likely target would be the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.”
