Saturday double with Mr Owen and Mountain Bell

Qatar Racing registered an international Saturday double with wins for Mr Owen in France and Mountain Bell in Britain.

First up was Mountain Bell (pictured) who returned to winning ways in the Betway Conditions Stakes at Newcastle, a fast-track qualifier for the stayers' final on All-Weather Championships Day. Stepped up to two miles for the first time and ridden by Josephine Gordon, Mountain Bell won by two lengths from Cape Cova.

After failing to settle early, Moutain Bell seemed rto take her rider's orders to relax too literally down the back straight as she was on and off the bridle in last place. However, her class shone through in the final stages and, like Mr Owen, she ultimately scored with a bit up her sleeve.

Lots of credit for Mountain Bell's success goes to her trainer Ralph Beckett and his team, as she has had her issues this year, hence her not returning until late-October, but she looked firmly back on track here. Mountain Bell is already a Listed winner and has long shown the ability to rank even higher still.

Over at Deauville in France, Mr Owen was an easy winner of the Listed Prix Luthier over seven and a half furlongs. Mr Owen's last three wins have all now been in Listed events come on the polytrack at Deauville, with the first two coming for Francois Rohaut and in the hands of Andrea Atzeni (2015) and Olivier Peslier (2016), and this success coming on just his third start for David Simcock, following two third-placed efforts, including in a similar race at Kempton.

Mr Owen was given a cool ride by Christophe Soumillon here, getting him settled in fourth before easing his mount to the front inside the final furlong, the pair winning with more in hand than the bare margin of a length and three quarters over home-trained runner, City Lights.

credit: All-Weather Championships