Jacquinot wins Gr.1 carrying Qatar Bloodstock colours

Qatar Bloodstock celebrated a first Gr.1 winner of 2023 when Jacquinot carried the claret and gold to success in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes at Sandown Racecourse on Saturday, adding his name to an illustrious roll of honour that includes Black Caviar, All Too Hard and Redoute’s Choice.

Winner of last year’s Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes, Jacquinot took his tally at the highest level to two as he came late in the C.F. Orr Stakes. He was awarded the race by the stewards after being deemed to have suffered interference from first-past-the-post Gentleman Roy.

This victory was a first for Jacquinot for his new ownership group headed by Widden Stud and Qatar Bloodstock, in whose colours he runs.

Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Jacquinot was ridden by his regular jockey Damian Lane and ran on strongly in the closing stages to by denied by a short-head.

However, there was a bump around 100 metres out, caused when Gentleman Roy moved out, which prompted connections of Jacquinot to object to the result. The stewards promoted Jacquinot to first.

There was a further head back to third-placed Nugget, who was fourth in the Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored by QIPCO) on Champions Day at Ascot in 2021 on his final start in the UK.

Damien Lane said: “Win them any way you can, but he should have won it out there so the right decision was made.

"He just takes a little bit to pick up, so when I found my run, he was just getting into his work, and then he copped that nasty bump. I felt I had Gentleman Roy covered before that happened."

Mick Price spoke about the next target for the 3yo son of Rubick:

"He's a stud colt, and that now gives him two group 1s, and that's very important.

"It was severe interference, and it is the stewards' job to measure the margin lost in the interference, and if the margin lost in the interference is greater than the margin of the race, the margin of the race was a short head, so there's no set formula or correct answer, but that's the opinion, and that's the refereeing.

“He'll go to the Futurity. Same course, same distance, hopefully the same result."