Believing and Buick snatch late glory in Al Quoz Sprint

Believing timed her charge to perfection under William Buick to finally break her Group One duck in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan.

The George Boughey-trained mare had been placed on her last three starts at the top tier, finishing as runner-up in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York and Flying Five at the Curragh before a third-placed finish in the Prix de l’Abbaye.

She was bought by Coolmore for three million guineas, but with Ryan Moore engaged to ride in Australia this weekend, Buick proved a super-sub.

Japanese raider Win Carnelian made an early move at the halfway stage of the six-furlong contest and kicked clear in what seemed set to become a routine triumph.

However, Believing, with Ed Bethell’s Regional in close pursuit, continued to eat into the leader’s advantage with every stride.

Win Carnelian was crying out for the line, but Believing’s determination prevailed under Buick’s strong driving to take the £696,000 first-place prize money at a price of 3-1 by half a length.

Yuichi Shikato’s Win Carnelian held on for second place, with Regional coming home a head further back in third.

Buick said: “She should have been Ryan’s ride but he got sent to Australia and it was in fact a spare ride.

“I was really happy with her, she had a faultless prep and George was confident she was a better filly this year.

“I spoke to George at length and he was very sweet on her. It all went how we hoped it would and we wanted it to. It got tough and tight but she really toughed it out.

“Once my filly got organised, the leader was in reach and it was a fight to the line. Coolmore bought the filly last November and it was a lucky pick-up ride.”

With Boughey absent due to the impending birth of his first child, assistant trainer Henry Morshead added: “It’s a huge privilege to have her back in the barn as a five-year-old this year. Obviously, she cost a lot of money at the end of the year and to put in a performance like that is truly special.

“There’s no secret that she has her quirks and she was withdrawn from Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup, so there’s a little apprehension to bringing your filly to a night like this. Thankfully, she dealt with it super and she’s mature.”