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| Staff Writer |
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Rogue Lightning demonstrated a compelling return to form with a polished victory in the Dukhan Sprint at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, opening up fresh opportunities for the talented 5YO.
Under new ownership of Wathnan Racing, the Tom Clover-trained speedster proved too strong for his rivals, dispatching fellow British challengers Washington Heights and Quinault, trained by Kevin Ryan and Stuart Williams respectively, by a decisive length.
The victor, who had not tackled six furlongs since May 2023, displayed his versatility in what marked his first outing for Wathnan connections. His previous achievements include a noteworthy effort when finishing just over a length behind Highfield Princess in the Gr.1 Prix de l'Abbaye.
"It was a great result, I was so pleased for the Wathnan team as they put a lot of faith in us in buying the horse and keeping him with us," Clover remarked. "Last season didn't quite work out as we'd like so it's great to see him back to winning ways, it's a great result for everyone."
The Newmarket handler added: "With Wathnan becoming a more and more prevalent force in our industry it's really exciting to have a nice horse for them to win on their big day."
Looking ahead, Clover outlined potential targets: "If we get invited to Dubai then the Al Quoz Sprint would be the obvious place to go next, having won at six now it would make sense to look at further six-furlong options throughout the summer here."
"He was seriously quick at three and for whatever reason sometimes they can just miss a year, he just didn't find life as easy last year, but he seems to have come back. He trained very well going into this race and is hopefully back to his old self, we all know the ability has always been there so hopefully he can continue to show it."