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
