Simple verse becomes Qatar Racing's first Cartier winner

David Redvers, Qatar Racing's manager, and the man who bought the filly as a yearling, stepped up to receive a trophy on behalf of Sheikh Fahad and his brothers from Cartier's retiring chairman, Arnaud Bamberger (pictured). Also present among the invited audience at the Dorchester Hotel was trainer Ralph Beckett, who steered Simple Verse through her three-year-old season, culminating in victories in the Gr.1 Ladbrokes St Leger and Gr.1 QIPCO Fillies' and Mares' Stakes.

Those successes meant she was also nominated for the leading three-year-old filly award, which was won by Legatissimo.

Giving a victory speech on behalf of Simple Verse's owners - Qatar Racing, Sheikh Suhaim Al Thani and Mohammed Al Kubaisi - Redvers admitted to the audience: "I feel slightly embarrassed, because when she didn't win the leading filly award I'd resigned myself to defeat.

"For the last five years I've sat in the audience at this wonderful event thinking 'one day, one day', and now finally it's happened and we have a Cartier champion. It's a wonderful, joyous moment for us, especially for Sheikh Fahad, but all the team at Qatar Racing.

"Who would have thought a filly that began racing on the all-weather at Lingfield in February would end up as champion stayer, but that is testament to Ralph Beckett, a man who I grew up with and who is a helluva trainer of a filly - although I have a lot of sympathy for his wife!

Redvers with trainer Ralph Beckett and Simple Verse

"Ralph can have few peers, as two Oaks victories and now a St Leger win with fillies proves."

Simple Verse stays in training for another season, and, given her improvement throughout 2015, there is hope she can be a major player in Group One races again next year.

Cartier Awards photo by Dan Abraham; Simple Verse photo by Laurence Squire