Sunday, 13 November 2011
Snow Fairy Triumphs Again!
Ed Dunlop's Snow Fairy produced an amazing turn of foot to win the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup for the second year in succession.
Ryan Moore's mount looked to have plenty to do turning into the straight as she was at least 10 lengths behind the runaway leader Shimmei Fuji, with a dozen horses still in front of her.
In front of a huge crowd at Kyoto in Japan, last year's winner began to stay on strongly but it looked as if a place was going to be the best she could hope for with a furlong to run. However, running on the fast ground she loves, the four-year-old quickened up in fantastic style to burst through and beat Aventura by a neck with Apapane third.
Snow Fairy was drawn widest of all in stall 18, which made her performance even more meritorious.
William Haggas' Oaks winner Dancing Rain could never get in a blow.
Johnny Murtagh decided to hold her up in the rear from stall 14, rather than adopting her front-running tactics, but she never threatened at any stage.