Saturday analysis: Could Powerful Glory revive the reputation of the Mill Reef Stakes after gutsy Newbury win?

It has been a bit of a barren spell for the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes over the last few years but there’s every chance POWERFUL GLORY can reverse the fortunes of the race.

The Newbury contest has been a platform for top notchers in the past, but not in the last six years, with the last six winners conjuring just two subsequent wins between them (in Dundalk and Happy Valley handicaps).

Indeed, the last Mill Reef winner to go and make a name for himself was Clive Cox’s Harry Angel in 2016, while a year before that Richard Fahey’s Ribchester won at Newbury before going on to win four times at the top level in a distinguished career.

Fahey’s Powerful Glory is a different type and it looks doubtful, if not impossible, that he’ll take the Ribchester route up to a mile, but like that horse he came into Newbury with a big reputation and he leaves with an even bigger one.

A few eyebrows were raised when the Mill Reef market took shape in the week, Powerful Glory’s odds of around 5/2 short enough for a once-raced horse who had 17lb to find with the form horses on Timeform ratings.

And when the thunderstorms hit heavy ground asked another question of him as well, with his impressive Pontefract debut win at a much lesser level achieved on good to firm ground.

That form had worked out well, though, and when Shadow Of Light, Symbol Of Strength, Defence Minister and Andesite were withdrawn due to the change in the going, his task became easier.

Despite the small field they raced in two groups, with Sarab Star and the well-backed Brian, who went off the 15/8 favourite on ground he was familiar with, racing alone on the far side.

Bargain buy Brian (6,000 guineas) looked to have a chance as he overhauled Sarab Star in their mini battle at the two-furlong marker, but that was just when the race was getting going on the near side.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Billboard Star had taken the larger group of four along, but he drifted towards the far side inside the final quarter mile allowing Powerful Glory and La Bellota clear ground to make their challenge more towards the stands’ rail.

The gelding La Bellota ran a great race for John Ryan at odds of 28/1 and he hit the front inside the furlong marker, his five-furlong speed – this was his first run at six – in evidence as he threatened to land a shock win.

Powerful Glory had his measure, though, grinding out victory by a neck under Oisin Orr after being half-a-length up throughout the final 100 yards, he and La Bellota over two lengths clear of the rest.

Fahey said: “It was such a brave call running him. I was a bit worried as he is such a good moving horse, but fair dos to the owner Sheikh Rashid, he put no pressure on me, told us to give it a go if we wanted to, and I’m delighted for him, I might’ve bottled it.

“Good horses go and win on any ground and Oisin said he didn’t like it but got the job done. I’ll be quite keen to leave him now, he’s grown quite a bit since we bought him. He had a tough race today and I would think he’ll have a break now.

“I’m confident he’s not just a two-year-old, this was his main target for the year. I don’t want to go to America with him and I would think that would be it for the year, but I do still have to confirm that with the owner.”

The form can be crabbed, with the testing ground and the key non-runners resulting in only an average renewal of the Mill Reef. Powerful Glory isn’t certain to achieve any more than Kessaar, Pierre Lapin, Alkumait, Wings Of War, Sakheer and Array who won this race immediately before him.

But the promise and potential is there and it sounds like a third ‘p’, patience, can be rolled out as well judging by his trainer’s comments.

The last top-class horse Fahey trained for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, Perfect Power, had a busier campaign at two and won two Group Ones as a juvenile in the Prix Morny and Middle Park.

He went on and won the Commonwealth Cup at three but the Royal Ascot sprint is not necessarily on the agenda for Powerful Glory.

“I’d say he has a little more scope than Perfect Power. We're still learning about him and we'll see which way we go in the spring, but he's an exciting horse with plenty of speed."

The dream is alive, whether that be a Classic bid or a speedier contest. Officials at Newbury will be following the Powerful Glory journey closely now, too, with the son of Cotai Glory the latest to try and kick on from victory in what can be, but isn't always, a key juvenile contest.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.