Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Glory For Khaadem
Jamie Spencer, who has few equals when it comes to riding in big fields over the straight course at Ascot, landed another big race success in yesterday’s Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes aboard Khaadem. Trained by Charlie Hills and owned by Mrs Fitri Hay, the seven year-old son of Dark Angel was appearing at this prestigious meeting for the fourth time; he finished seventh in the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup in 2019 and fourth in this race in 2020. This triumph took his career record to eight wins from 30 starts, previous big race victories including the Stewards’ Cup in 2019 and the Gr.2 King George Stakes last July.
Hills said: “Khaadem does have his quirks but most sprinters do. It’s just amazing that we’ve got to where we have now at his age. I have always had massive faith in this horse, that’s why I’ve kept him for so long. He won a Group 2 last year over five and that’s what we were sort of doing. But this year, I wanted to try and race him properly again, drop him in, and make sure we got the six furlongs well. He won the Stewards’ Cup as a three-year-old, so the trip was never a concern, but he is very fast.
“We have been trying to win this for a while and had some good chances over the years. We’ve had a tough week this week and to win
a race like this is just fantastic.”Spencer said: “I felt no pressure. I followed Frankie [Dettori on Kinross] and Tom [Marquand on runner-up Sacred] and could see Tom was going well at halfway. So just like in a cycling race you let him do the work for you and you hope that when you pull out you have a little bit to fire. “It is difficult for me to put into words what Jim and Fitri [Hay] have been like as friends to me for a long time. Even my children are watching now and, in years before, when I was flying at this meeting, they were too young to understand – now it’s nice when you get texts from them saying well done.”
From the family of the Gr.1-winning sire Bold Edge, Khaadem is one of four winners out of the dual sprint winner White Daffodil and is a full-brother to Log Out Island, who won at Listed level and was twice Gr.2- placed, all during his two-year-old season. Bred by Yeomanstown Stud and bought by Shadwell Estate Company for 750,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he raced for Shadwell and Hills for four seasons prior to being acquired by Mrs Hay.
