Ouija Board Fails In Classic Bid

Ouija Board found it all too much in the desert heat as she and jockey Kieren Fallon were tactically outfought in the US 5million Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad al Sheba.

Ed Dunlop's wonderful performer ran respectably to finish fourth but ultimately had little answer to the Japanese-trained winner Heart's Cry (11-4), who now looks set to head to Europe for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot in July.

Christophe Lemaire rode a fine race aboard the winner, slowing the pace down at the head of affairs before quickening on again when joined by best of the Brits, the Alan Swinbank-trained Collier Hill, at the top of the home straight.

Fallon, who had settled Ouija Board in ninth place in the early stages of the race, still had the mare travelling well turning for home but had a fair amount of ground to make up and the pair were forced to deliver their challenge out wide.

And despite their best efforts, she could not reach the leading trio.

Collier Hill kept on to finish a hugely-creditable second, four and a quarter lengths adrift of the winner, while South African challenger Falstaff was third.

Behind Ouija Board came Alexander Goldrun in fifth, while Norse Dancer finished a respectable eighth of the 14 runners.

Kojiro Hashiguchi, the trainer of Heart's Cry ? who was completing a double after earlier taking the Godolphin Mile ? confirmed the plan to come to Ascot.

'We will look to going there next,' he said, through an interpreter. 'I am really excited. If I had no confidence, I would not have come here.

'In last year's Arima Kinen, one of the biggest races in Japan, he was very strong. But now he is stronger than then.'

Collier Hill's rider Dean McKeown was delighted with his mount's performance.

He said: 'For an eight-year-old with knackered joints, he's run another amazing race.

'This time last year the vet told us there was only one more race in him and eventually the time will come when we can't go on with him.

'Alan keeps patching him up and bringing him back and is doing a brilliant job.

'He's as fit as he's ever been at the moment and hopefully, if he gets a good weight, we can win the Melbourne Cup.'

Dunlop was not too disappointed by Ouija Board's effort as he felt the race was not run to suit.

He said: 'The first three were in front all the way and from off that slow pace, she just couldn't quicken.

'I think it would be very hard to judge her on that run.

'You could arguably say that she has not run to her form but the other horse had the run of the race and is a good horse anyway.

'She's run respectably, I'm pleased enough and we will take her home and see how she is.'

Fallon blamed the noise of the official opening ceremony before the race for the mare's performance.

He explained: 'I was worried about her going down to post. She didn't like the vibrations and the noise of the fireworks.

'She travelled OK but never picked up for me ? she was not herself. She was the other day when I rode her in work. She felt great then but she wasn't happy here.'

? PA Sport