Dream Over For Proportions As Dubawi Strikes

Divine Proportions failed to make it a perfect 10 in the Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday as Dubawi stormed to success in the Deauville showpiece.

A race billed as one of the great clashes of the season looked like turning into just that two furlongs out when the winner and the Pascal Bary-trained favourite drew away from their pacemakers and struck for home.

But the trademark burst of acceleration Divine Proportions had used to go unbeaten in her previous nine races failed to materialise.

And it was left to Whipper to keep Dubawi honest in the closing stages as he threw down a challenge which only petered out in the final 50 yards.

Dubawi - returned a 9-2 chance on the pari-mutuel - stays this mile trip well and he kept on all the way to the line under Kerrin McEvoy to win by a length and a half, with Valixir a further three parts away in third and Divine Proportions only fourth.

It was Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford who revealed the decision to plot a course down the centre of the straight had been taken by 'the boss' - Sheikh Mohammed.

'We walked the course this morning and it was clear the ground was fastest down the middle,' Crisford said. 'It was like an airstrip, much quicker than either rail. We knew that was where we wanted to make our challenge.

'There was a risk he might duck left or right to either rail once he was in front, but Sheikh Mohammed was adamant that was what we should do and the plan has worked to perfection.

'We wanted to take the race to the filly at the two-furlong pole, but we knew there was a strong headwind and we needed to sit in the slipstream of the pacemaker (Council Member) as long as possible.

'The ground was superb. It has dried out in the wind, but there was still just a little bit of cut in it.

'It´s not often that you can say it, but everything went right and Kerrin was magnificent. He took the race by the scruff of the neck, which was the right thing to do.'

As a son of Sheikh Mohammed´s beloved Dubai Millennium, who won this race in 1999, victory here had an even greater resonance for the winning connections.

'Today was very important for us, but more so for the horse than for Godolphin,' Crisford explained. 'Godolphin can come back next year, but Dubawi has a limited shop window in which to show what he can do and today was a vindication of the horse´s abilities.

'He is a very talented horse. His last piece of work was relaxed, but that was a good omen because he was getting very keen before the Derby.'

McEvoy, who must have felt under tremendous pressure standing in for injury-stricken number one Frankie Dettori on a horse with a known tendency to give his jockey a hard time, was clearly elated.

Typically, he was entirely modest in victory, preferring to deflect praise on to his horse and the job done by Ted Durcan aboard Council Member.

'He showed them today,' he said. 'He´s a great little horse. He has been quite laid-back at home, but he saves himself for the big days.

'This is my first winner and first Group One in France. I´m lucky to be here to ride him.

'He travelled so well - he´s so professional and the pacemaker did a great job. It´s hard to judge it right, but Ted was doing everything I wanted him to at just the right time.

'At the two-furlong marker I let him go and he really quickened. He did jink a little bit once he was in front but I was ready for it. It was a fantastic race, one I won´t forget.'

Dubawi will now remain at a mile for the remainder of the season, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket and then the Breeders´ Cup Mile the two named targets.

Bookmakers Coral cut his odds for Belmont from 10-1 to 4-1, while pushing out Divine Proportions from 5-2 to 7-1.

Whipper, who ought to find the turning track in New York allaying his stamina doubts to some degree, remains an 8-1 chance having been confirmed on course for the trip across the Atlantic by his trainer Robert Collet.

Valixir, who only appeared to get going inside the final furlong, will bid to regain winning ways in the Prix du Moulin.

But plans for Divine Proportions are on hold after she failed to fire in the way her backers had hoped for.

All may not be lost for her, however, with Dubawi himself being evidence that a career can be resurrected after defeat at the highest level.

But for Bary, the result was clearly hard to come to terms with and he seemed all but on the verge of tears as he watched the replay with Alan Cooper, racing manager to owners the Niarchos family.

He said: 'I am very disappointed. She had a good position and she was travelling well, but when the jockey asked her to quicken, she didn´t have her usual kick.'

? PA Sport