After the three-year-old filly Qabala’s success in the G3 Nell Gwyn earlier in the week it was a gelding twice her age who doubled the yard’s group-race tally for the season back at Newmarket yesterday.

Despite his advancing age in racehorse terms Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Zabeel Prince is very lightly raced for a six-year-old, and showed career best form in quickening up smartly to take the nine-furlong Earl Of Sefton Stakes under regular rider Andrea Atzeni. In a wide-open betting heat several of the field were bringing Group form into the race, and with the previous season’s winner Forest Ranger in second and penalised dual G2 scorer Mustashry a further length back the result has a solid look to it. Staying the extra furlong & acting so well on the quicker ground opens up further options at home and abroad for the son of Lope De Vega, including at the top level.