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Khalid Abdulla’s filly, sent off the 15/8 favourite, was given a perfect ride by Tom Queally, who settled his mount close to the pace just off the leaders. She hit a flat spot along the back straight but Queally urged her to keep her box-seat position and responding well she was back on the bridle turning for home. The pace-setter Visit came off the rail allowing Midday a perfect split around the inside. She showed her trade-mark turn of foot to put the race to bed in a matter of strides and galloped strongly to the line to win with a length to spare.

Cecil had come close to landing a Breeders’ Cup title with Eltish in 1994 but until last night a victory at America’s biggest meeting had eluded him. He said as his winner walked into the winners’ circle: “The main thing was to have a nice position and when she hit the straight she could go for home.”

“The Breeders’ Cup has always been her main target. I hoped to have her right for the Opera on Arc day but that race is a Group One and she needed the run slightly.” “I have always dreaded the Breeders’ Cup slightly as I haven’t had great results there.” “It is lovely to win for (owner) Prince Khalid Abdulla as he is a friend and supporter of mine. He stuck with me through the bad times and it is great to repay him.”

It was Queally’s first ride at Santa Anita and his performance on board Midday was second to none. He judged the pace of the race to perfection and this victory capped a tremendous season for him, being his fifth Group/ Grade 1 win. He said: “This crowns my year. Even if she had run well but not won it would have topped a great season, but this is the icing on the cake. “Henry told me to keep it simple and I knew she had heart, attitude and the ability to dig deep when it mattered.”

The daughter of Oasis Dream stays in training next year and connections hinted that a repeat bid for Breeders’ Cup honours, next year at Churchill Downs, may be on her agenda.

TWICE OVER ran the race of his life to finish a close third to Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday. Khalid Abdulla’s four-year old was settled in the mid-field by jockey Tom Queally before making steady headway along the back straight.He was forced slightly wide around the final bend but stayed on strongly under pressure to take third, beaten just over two lengths.

The son of Observatory stays in training and connections hinted that a tilt at the World’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup could be on the cards for him in the spring. He is one of the most consistent horses in training and has shown now that he is equally effective on the all-weather as he is on the turf.
Twice Over is a credit to his connections and with his career best effort on Saturday took his life time earning to over £1million.

Henry and the team have just arrived in Santa Anita, California ,to see their top trio race against the best in the world in the Breeders cup series of races on the 6th and 7th November. The horses, Father Time, Twice Over and Midday have arrived in the US where they will undergo final preparations ahead of the Breeders’ Cup this weekend.

Trainer Henry Cecil is optimistic and feels that all three have a ’serious chance’ of giving him a coveted first Breeders’ Cup crown. Father Time is in action on Friday in the 1m6f Breeder’s Cup Marathon on the all-weather Pro-Ride surface. The son of Dansili won his maiden on the all-weather at Great Leighs last season so should be at home on the surface.

Midday will also be in action on Friday in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare turf. The firm ground looks set to suit and our connections are hopeful that she can add another Group/Grade 1 win to her CV following her success in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in August.

Twice Over will compete on the Pro-Ride for this first time when he lines up in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. The son of Observatory’s finest hour on the track came just over two weeks ago when he produced a career best to land the Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

Our connections would be thrilled if he could match that effort - or, preferably, build on it - to play a role in Saturday’s showpiece. Cecil, who today departed to America with wife Jane, said: “Our three runners have arrived safely and at this stage I am happy with them. “They all have a serious chance of finishing in the first three. Hopefully, we will do better than that and win but it’s not easy, especially as it’s so late in the year.”

All three of these horses have been fed Triflex since arriving with Henry, and the whole team at ProSportive look forward to them performing well at the weekend.

ProSportive would like to give its thanks to Vicki Drury for her glowing testimonial of Tri-Flex. To view her testimonial please click the following link.

The son of Dansili, thought by many to be Cecil’s second string in the King Edward V11 stakes, stepped up markedly on his previous efforts to take the famous race which is often known as the Ascot Derby.

Jockey Eddie Ahern settled the 9-1 chance just off the furious pace set by Debussy and always looked to be travelling smoothly when others were being scrubbed along. When they entered the straight, stable-mate Native Ruler took over the running but Ahern was tracking him and still looked to have a lot of horse beneath him. He kicked 2f out taking over the lead and staying on gamely to repel the challenge from Your Old Pal and Black Bear Island inside the final furlong to score by four lengths.

After the race a delighted Cecil said: “I always thought this race was our best chance of a winner all week with one horse or other. “Father Time clearly wants a trip, he is own brother to Passage of Time who didn’t really get 1m4f but he gets it extremely well. “The St Leger is worth thinking about but before this I hadn’t given it much thought. “The horses have been running very well this week, with good placings without winning, but it’s great when you find a winner at Royal Ascot.”

This was Cecil’s first winner at Royal Ascot for seven years and the momentous applause that greeted the Warren Place maestro when he entered the winner’s enclosure was clear evidence that the crowd were delighted to see him back where he belongs.

Congratulations to Henry and his team from everyone at ProSportive.

HENRY CECIL has a small but select 2009 Royal Ascot squad with Twice Over set to lead the way in Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

The Group 1 feature has attracted a suitably classy entry, including the Observatory colt, who made the frame in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month.The mile at Newbury is a minimum distance for Twice Over and stepping back up to 10f should suit. However, his best form has come with a little ‘give’ in the ground, so connections wouldn’t mind a shower or two ahead of the race.Cecil said: “Twice Over is in good order and will hopefully have a chance in the Prince Of Wales’s. Some rain will be beneficial to him.”

Thursday is a busy day for Cecil with Flame Of Gibraltar pencilled in for the Ribblesdale, while three-year-old colts On Our Way and Hyades also hold entries.On Our Way, not seen since finishing fourth in a Newmarket Listed race in April, has the 10f Hampton Court Stakes as his objective.Cecil said: “I think the trip will suit him and he is in good form.”Hyades, seemingly stretched by 10f at Newmarket last month, is back down to a mile for a shot at one of the most competitive handicaps of the season, the Britannia.
His handler said: “Hyades did not get the mile and a quarter at Newmarket, so will come back to a mile for the Britannia. It is always a hot contest but he should give a very good account of himself.”

Friday sees Cecil double-handed for the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes with Father Time and Native Ruler entered up.Native Ruler has given plenty of encouragement on the gallops since his satisfactory effort in the Dante Stakes. Father Time has made the frame in stakes races on his last two starts and Henry expects both ‘to run well’.Chachamaidee will be the only Warren Place two-year-old to see action at the meeting. She won on her debut at Lingfield last week - ‘She has taken her race well’, says Henry - and will be asked to try and follow up in the Group 3 Albany Stakes.Cecil summed up: “We haven’t a very large Ascot team, but I feel that those we will be sending will run well.”

Every one of our Ascot runners (along with all the horses on our yard) are given ProSportive supplements daily to protect their joints..ProSportive wish Henry and his runners all the best at Royal Ascot 2009

Dee Kennedy reports that her Badminton ride , Big El, has finished the event this year in better form than ever before at the age of 19!
A best ever Dressage and foot perfect cross country round kept Dee in contention. Unfortunately three down in show jumping dropped them down the rankings, but this mid-table position thrilled Dee, and she was even happier that “Elliott” finished the gruelling Three day test in such fine fettle.
“Everyone knows that El is of an age now” says Dee. “The Triflex I use every day keeps his joints supple and protected, and I use ProSportive Pro-Power to keep his topline and muscle function in perfect order”
“ProSportive products have kept my horse competing at the very top level at the age of 19..I can’t give a better compliment than that!”

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