Michael Owen's horse Brown Panther wins Dubai Gold Cup to net former England striker £384,000 in prize money

Brown Panther had a convincing victory for co-owner Michael Owen at the Dubai Gold Cup

 

Michael Owen failed to get his hands on silverware at a World Cup when playing for England but Brown Panther, a horse he both bred and co-owns, ensured he came away from Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting with a trophy.

The seven-year-old, trained by Tom Dascombe at Owen’s Manor House Stable in Cheshire and ridden by Richard Kingscote, was always close to the pace in the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup and quickened to beat Star Empire by a decisive three and a half lengths.

 The victory, the 11th of Brown Panther’s career, secured a first prize of £384,000, by far the biggest Owen has ever won in his racing venture

Owen and trainer Tom Dascombe pose with Brown Panther after winning the race

 

Former England striker Owen watches on at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday in Dubai

 

   Owen, who won the 2014 Irish St Leger with Brown Panther, said: ‘He is the horse of a lifetime and a superstar in my eyes. That was a tough race – two miles in this heat and he kept on galloping like he did in the final furlong.

‘He is a talented horse but has great courage. I am very proud of him.’

The success was also rewarding for Kingscote. He has had a race against time to get fit after suffering a broken collar bone, snapped arm, broke wrist and elbow plus punctured lungs in a fall.

There was a second win on the Meydan card for Europe when Sole Power, trained in Ireland by Eddie Lynam and ridden by Richard Hughes, landed the Al Quoz Sprint.

While British jockey William Buick landed the $10m World Cup on Saeed Bin Suroor-trained 14-1 shot Prince Bishop, who beat 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome.

The success for an eight-year-old who has never won at group one level in Europe and was running in his fourth World Cup was another surprise result in the race.

It again showed the Dubai World Cup may be the richest race on the globe but it is of questionable quality.

Another former England striker Peter Crouch was also in Dubai with his wife Abbey Clancy

 

Meanwhile, owner Marwan Koukash continued his good run of sporting form when 12-1 shot Gabrial, trained by Richard Fahey and 22nd winner of the year for jockey Tony Hamilton, landed the Betway Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster.

It was a second win in four years for Gabrial’s team, having landed the 2012 Lincoln with Brae Hill.

Flamboyant Koukash is the owner of Super League team Salford Red Devils, who have risen to sixth in the table after a run of three wins in their last five games.

Gabrial, who had been unplaced on the Dubai World Cup card 12 months ago, had also run over middle distances last year as Koukash harboured hopes he may become a Melbourne Cup contender.

But he showed slick turn of foot over the mile of the Lincoln to beat Mondialiste a neck.

Owen is pictured being questioned by the media after victory for his horse Brown Panther

 

Owen is pictured with his family at the Meydan Racecourse after his victory

 

Fahey said: They raced in a very tight pack and I wasn't sure he was going to get out in time. "That's the first time I've ever seen him really pin his ears back and have a real go as he's a bit of a character.

Tony said he always felt like he was going to win.

‘The only reason he was running over further last year was because after Mount Athos got injured. Marwan wanted a Melbourne Cup horse but he didn't stay.’

 

Trainer Mark Johnston made a perfect start to the Flat season as his first three runners all won. After Ravenhoe had won the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, the traditional curtain-raiser to the Turf season, Johnston-trained Rah Rah won at Kempton and Buratino at Chelmsford. The composition of Johnston’ s stable has changed this year with 130 of his 210 horses being two-year-olds.