Princess of Wales’s Stakes: 2021 Derby hero Adayar disappoints as Israr takes Newmarket Group Two
Israr was well on top of the line, as 2021 Derby and King George winner Adayar disappointed in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket.
Charlie Appleby’s Adayar was a long odds-on favourite to get back to winning ways following a meritorious run in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Back up to his favoured mile and a half on the July course, the 1-3 market leader was expected to take care of three rivals before heading to the King George and an attempt to reclaim the crown he won two years ago.
Everything appeared to be going smoothly three furlongs from home as Jim Crowley began to get serious with Israr, but Adayar was not pulling away.
As soon as Israr, trained by John and Thady Gosden, pulled level, William Buick began to send out distress signals but there was no response from Adayar, with Israr (7-2) ultimately pulling four and a half lengths clear.
Appleby said: “I think obviously we have a decision to make, but you know me, I won’t rush into anything. We’ll get him back and see if there is anything untoward, but unless we find anything out of the ordinary.
“We will give it a week or 10 days and see if anything transpires. He owes no one anything – he’s a Derby winner. You certainly can’t go to a King George or a race like that on the back of a performance like that, though.
“I thought he would go there and put it to bed. Israr, to be fair to him, came under the pump earlier than we did and we got him at it, but Will said he just emptied as he hit the rising ground on me.
“We will see what his vitals are like after the race, but it wasn’t the ground. I’m not going to use that as an excuse.
“We will see if anything comes out in the wash. I don’t think the race came too quickly after Ascot because the signs at home were good.”
Of the winner, Shadwell racing manager Angus Gold said: “I don’t know what the plan is, I said to John we have never got beyond trying to win a stakes race with him.
“We will have to talk. We tried him over a bit further and he didn’t get it. He is versatile in the respect he has a beautiful attitude on him. He’s a good looking horse.”
Crowley added: “It was a big improvement coming back in trip with him. He sort of outstayed the other horse, battled harder. I thought when I got upsides him, it was game over. We broke the track record, though.”
