Winter Derby drama for impressive Mr Owen

Mr Owen finished first in the Gr. 3 Betway Winter Derby Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday, only to be disqualified and placed second.

An up-to-scratch and competitive renewal of the Winter Derby saw a dramatic finish (pictured) as the Qatar Racing-owned Mr Owen 'won' by a head from Master The World, only for the placings to be revised after a lengthy stewards' enquiry.

Mr Owen ran right up to his best to be first past the post, showing a devastating turn of foot to come from near last to first in the short home straight. However, he jinked right after spooking at the shadow on the track caused by the big screen. Jamie Spencer reported that he had run straight prior to that and it was just one of those things, the rider having been very impressed with Mr Owen's change of speed.

Mr Owen's trainer David Simcock was philosophical in defeat, saying: "I'm delighted with that despite losing the race."

The six-year-old entire has now proved himself fully effective from between seven and a half furlongs (the trip over which he won a Listed race at Deauville in December) to a mile and a quarter so has two options on All-Weather Championships Finals Day on Good Friday (March 30): the Mile, in which he will again meet Arcanada who recieved 3 lb from Mr Owen when beating him in early-February, or the Classic in which he will again face Master The World.

Mr Owen was bought after finishing third behind Make Believe and Mr Owen in the 2015 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, and he's very well bred, by influential sire Invincible Spirit out of dual Gr. 1 (Prix Vermeille and E. P. Taylor Stakes) winner Mrs Lindsay.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out well for Chemical Charge in the Gr. 1 The Emir's Trophy in Doha the same day, the horse slowly into stride and having a rough race as a result, but there'd at least been reason to cheer early on Saturday morning when Zoustar's daughter Sunlight completed a four-timer in the Gr. 2 Silver Slipper Stakes in Australia.