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Mastery (GB) successful in G1 St Leger in September 2009
©Mark Cranham
MASTERY (GB)
- Age: 4
- Colour: Bay
- Gender: Colt
- Sire: Sulamani (IRE)
- Dam: Moyesii (USA)
- Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Mastery broke through for his first Group One win in the best possible fashion when running out the convincing winner of the Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes, the final Classic of the English season, at Doncaster on September 12. The least fancied of the two Godolphin runners, behind favourite Kite Wood, there was still stable confidence in Mastery who it was thought would appreciate the fast ground. And so it proved with jockey Ted Durcan enjoying a dream ride. Sitting in third spot behind his stable companion for most of the 14 furlong journey, Mastery followed Kite Wood through when the Godolphin favourite made his move with two furlongs to run. Upsides for the next two hundred yards Mastery responded well to Durcan’s riding, starting to get on top in the closing stages and was three quarters of a length in front of Kite Wood at the line. Godolphin’s last Classic victory was in this race with Rule of Law in 2004. Mastery provided the stable with their fifth St Leger win over-all.
Mastery failed to take his Doncaster form with him to Santa Anita where he could only manage third in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Marathon over 14 furlongs on November 6. Frankie Dettori enjoyed a dream run and was positioned to win at the top of the straight where he joined the leader but Mastery failed to quicken when required and was run out of second spot close home. Though deemed disappointing Mastery still finished 11 lengths clear of the fourth placed horse.
Mastery ran above expectations when fifth on his 2010 seasonal debut in the US$10million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline at Meydan on Saturday, March 28. Dropping back to ten furlongs in the world’s richest race run on Tapeta may not have seemed ideal to start off his 2010 campaign but Mastery acquitted himself well. Frankie Dettori was always close to the pace and never further back than fourth as the field turned into the straight. Keeping on really well to the finish he only lost fourth spot on the line and was beaten less than two lengths by the winner.