Trainer Roger Varian paid tribute to owner Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum following the dramatic 1000 Guineas success of Elmalka at Newmarket on Sunday.
Partnered by 42-year-old Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa, who was enjoying a first British Classic success, Elmalka carried the famous yellow and black colours of Sheikh Ahmed to victory in the fillies’ feature, swooping in dramatic fashion to spring an upset.
The daughter of Kingman headed into Sunday’s event having made a winning debut on the all-weather at Southwell in November before coming home a close third in the Group Three Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury last month.
She was slowly away from an awkward draw and was at the rear of the 16 runners in the early part of the mile contest before making headway entering the final furlong to up in the final strides to score at the expense of Porta Fortuna with a further short-head back to Ramatuelle in third.
Elmalka is out of Nahrain who provided Varian with his first Group One winner in the 2009 Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp. She was the Newmarket-based trainer’s third UK Classic win after two St Leger victories with Kingston Hill (2014) and Eldar Eldarov (2022).
A delighted Varian, 45, was quick to thank Sheikh Ahmed for the success: “It’s very special actually to train the winner for His Highness Sheik Ahmed Al Maktoum, who’s supported me all of my career and supported Michael Jarvis before me.
“She’s a homebred filly and out of Nahrain who was my first Group One winner the first year I trained, winning the Prix de l’Opera. You can’t get more special than that.
“I’m delighted for the owner, of course, and the team at home who put in so much hard work.”
QUITE INCREDIBLE
Sent off a big outsider by the international markets, did the victory come as a shock to Varian?
He said: “It’s not a surprise because I wouldn’t have run her if I didn’t think she was going to run well, but you don’t come into these races thinking you’re going to win.
“She ran a big race at Newbury and she was as green as grass and credit to James Doyle who gave her a super ride that day. He got an education into her and she finished strongly. We weren’t set on running in the Guineas that day but the turnaround in the filly in the last fortnight has been quite incredible.
“She’s looked fantastic, she’s eaten everything in front of her and she’s worked well. I was in two minds whether to run her because I didn’t want to do the wrong thing by the filly but that’s why we’re here, right, to have a go?
“IT’S A HUGE THRILL”
Asked about her incredible turn of foot at the end of the race, he went on: “You know what, she showed a little bit of that at Newbury and I thought another 100 yards and she might have been a length and a half winner. She was just taking off.
“She only won at Southwell but the clockwatchers - I credit Michael Spence who rang me that day and said ‘I think that filly will win the Guineas - she’s clocked an unbelievable time for Southwell. She’s run to over 100 on debut’. I take that stuff with a pinch of salt but that is gospel truth.
“But it’s a team effort and these things don’t happen by accident. It’s a huge thrill and it hasn’t quite sunk in.”
