Twice Over beating Midday to give owner K Abdullah his first win in the Juddmonte International Stakes
The six-year-old Twice Over showed immense grit and determination to keep his stubborn stable mate Midday at bay to win the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes to run over at a distance of 1 mile and 2 ½ furlongs with a ground good to soft at York on
17 August, 2011.
The Juddmonte International Stakes was the feature race, and held on the first day of the Ebor four day festival which is going to last till 20 August.
Twice Over, who is trained by Sir Henry Cecil like Midday, provided his owner Khalid Abdullah with his first Juddmonte International Stakes, and this was the first time Khalid Abdullah’s stable was sponsoring the race.
It was a field of five runners for the all important Juddmonte International, but the field was not short of quality even with the withdrawal of Aidan O’Brien trained Roderic O’Connor, but the main attraction of the race was Midday and Twice Over, both trained
by the newly knighted trainer Sir Henry Cecil.
The 5-year-old bay mare Midday was coming off a win in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes on 30 July at Glorious Goodwood, was meeting the male horses for the second time in the 2011 season. The first time she did, the mare lost by St Abbey Nicholas to a second place
finish in the Group 1 Investec Coronation Stakes 3 June.
On the other hand, Twice Over wasn’t up to mark this season for Sir Henry Cecil since coming back from his visit to Dubai where he participated in the two Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan and won on 3 March.
His second outing in Dubai was the Group 1 Dubai World Cup where he finished 9th on the day on 26 March at Meydan.
Twice Over is recently coming off a win in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes and winning by 1 ¼ lengths at York.
Twice Over was held up by his ride Ian Mongan over 2 furlongs out and jumped on to second place with a furlong remaining, after a tough duel with Midday, Twice Over edged out and defeated Midday by ¾ of a length.
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