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Well-bred Creative Flair takes out Abingdon Stakes at Newbury

The Charlie Appeby-trained and William Buick-ridden Creative Flair (3 f ex Hidden Gold by Shamardal) became the 206th stakes winner for Darley’s Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) when she won Thursday’s Abingdon Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) at Newbury. 

The daughter of Dubawi took the lead in the early stages and then ran on well over the closing stages in the centre of the track and fought off the challenge of Lilac Road (Mastercraftsman) to beat her by a half-length. Vesela (Frankel) was another three and a quarter lengths back in third. The winner could now head to the US for the Belmont Oaks (Gr 1, 10f) next month.  

“I’m delighted. The step up in trip seems to have brought out some improvement – we were hopeful it would on her pedigree,” said Charlie Appleby. 

“I thought she saw it out well. Going forward we’re potentially looking at sending her further afield – we might look towards heading to America for the Belmont Oaks in July. That would be her next target.” 

Creative Flair is one of two winners and the only stakes winner to date out of Listed winner Hidden Gold (Shamardal). Her second dam is Melikah (Lammtara), who was bought for €10,000,000 by Gainsborough Stud at the 1998 Agence Francaise August Yearling Sale and placed second in both the Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) and the Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f). 

She went on to produce nine winners including Group winners Masterstroke (Monsun), Moonlight Magic (Cape Cross) and Royal Line (Dubawi) and is out of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Urban Sea (Miswaki) who is herself the dam of peerless sire Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) and Sea The Stars (Cape Cross). 

The victory provided Dubawi with his ninth three-year-old stakes winner of 2021 and 19th stakes winner overall this year. 

#Dubawi sires his 9th three-year-old Stakes winner of 2021 (no stallion has more) as Creative Flair lands the Listed Abingdon Stakes @NewburyRacing for Charlie Appleby and @godolphin https://t.co/gweJ76eHQi

— Darley in Europe (@DarleyEurope) June 10, 2021