4th place for Gordon Lord Byron in Qatar Gordon Lord Byron had to make do with an honourable fourth in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at Doha. Tom Hogan's multiple Group One winner is in the twilight of his career at the age of 10 and was making his first competitive appearance of 2018 following a run on the all-weather at Dundalk in December. Competing over a mile in this Group Two in Qatar, Gordon Lord Byron broke well enough in the hands of Billy Lee, but had to switch wide to throw down his challenge rounding the home turn and that may have proved crucial in the final reckoning. The veteran was powering home at the finish, but it was all too late and he finished a couple of lengths off eventual winner Pleaseletmewin under Martin Harley. Vitally Important was very narrowly beaten in second, while Gordon Lord Byron's fellow European challenger, German trainer Mario Hofer's Diplomat, was third.
