Mutakayyef wins Group 2 Summer Mile Dane O'Neill celebrated his recent return from injury with a notable success on Mutakayyef in the Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot. It was a second winner for O'Neill, the number two retained rider to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, after being sidelined for six weeks with a back problem. Mutakayyef (7-2 favourite) had made a triumphant return to action at York last month in his first race since October, and followed up in tremendous style to take Group Two honours. Blond Me blew her chance by being slowly away, while Toormore and Custom Cut set the pace. There were plenty in with a chance early in the straight, but it was O'Neill on the William Haggas-trained Mutakayyef who got a great split and powered away in the final furlong to score by two and a quarter lengths. Dutch Connection was second, with Gabrial just a short head away third. Maureen Haggas, wife of the winning trainer, said: "Two things stand out with this horse - one, we have now got the trip right and, two, gelding him has been a good move. "William has always had a lot of faith in him but until today he hadn't gone and done it on a bigger stage. "He's older and more mature, and has lots of options at a mile, mile-and-a-furlong distances."
