Jacqueline Ready In Quest For Top Honours

Henry Cecil’s classy filly Jacqueline Quest looks set to make her seasonal return to action at Leicester next week as the four-year-old bids to gain some compensation this term for her controversial disqualification after ‘winning’ last season’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, writes Elliot Slater.

An unconsidered 66/1 shot when getting the better of a tremendous tussle with French filly Special Duty on the Rowley Mile last year, the daughter of Rock of Gibraltar was demoted from first place after the stewards determined that she had hung right and interfered with the runner-up who was denied by a nose. The stewards reversed the placings, denying Cecil another classic success and shattering the elation of the filly’s quadriplegic owner Noel Martin, who named Jacqueline Quest after his late wife.

Following the devastation of her disqualification at HQ, Cecil’s charge then headed to Royal Ascot where she ran a solid race to finish third to Lillie Langtry in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes before ending her season with a below-par effort in coming home just fifth of the seven runners in the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Those following the horse race betting would have been disappointed.

Connections of Jacqueline Quest have been waiting for the much promised but rarely sighted rain that has been long absent from British racing this spring, but following a few showers in recent days hopes are being raised that the ground might be suitable for her to make her seasonal bow at Leicester next week, or later on at Haydock in the John ‘O Gaunt stakes.

Her main target in the first half of this term is the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot, but all plans will relate to prevailing ground conditions, Cecil being determined to be patient with Jacqueline Quest and not risk his talented filly and jar her up on a fast surface.

Tags: henry cecil trainer, Jacqueline Quest horse, NewmarketShare

Birthday Honours for Cricketers

Three cricketers involved in England’s historic and decisive Ashes victory in Australia last winter, were named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. All three were involved in the teams 3-1 win which secured their first victory down under for 24 years. Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower received an OBE whilst Alastair Cook was awarded an MBE. The England captain Andrew Strauss already the holder of an MBE credited the award to his team when he spoke of his pride and sense of achievement at a press conference. “It is a great honour to receive this accolade, it’s one of the better items of post you get through the letterbox – certainly better than a gas bill”.

Strauss who envisages a bright future for the England team said “It is wonderful to receive OBEs and MBEs. We have achieved something but are nowhere near the end of the road yet, and will continue to strive to improve”. The England captain had kept news of the award under his hat as requested but admitted to telling his wife of the forthcoming honour. The Middlesex player spoke of the England teams win saying “the most satisfying thing is the players we had and how they rose to the challenges and played so well, as they can. When you are fortunate enough to be in this position, you want to make the absolute most of every opportunity.”

Alastair Cook the 26 year old Essex player who silenced doubts about his place in the England team with his match saving, unbeaten double-hundred in the second innings of the first Test in Brisbane was honoured with an MBE. Cook the man of the match and series, fufilled his early promise and has gone from strength to strength since scoring 766 runs in 7 innings to assure England’s first series win in Australia, when he exceeded 5000 test runs becoming the second youngest batsman to do so.

The third member of the cricketing trio to be honoured was coach Andy Flower. The 43 year old native South African, who played for Zimbabwe in his successful international career as a batsman and wicketkeeper, commenting on the award said, “It is a lovely surprise to receive this honour, my family and I feel very thankful to have been welcomed into this country since moving here in 2003 and I feel a great privilege and responsibility to be involved in a leadership role in English sport.

Tags: andrew strauss OBE, cricket honours, queen's birthday honoursShare