Mustashry produced a career-best performance to land the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes in the silks of UAE Minister of Finance Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday.
The six-year-old under Jim Crowley, the owner’s first jockey, tracked the leaders and challenged a furlong out to win by two-and-a-half lengths from Laurens and Accidental Agent on the straight mile.
The result also provided trainer Michael Stoute his eighth victory, 33 years after his first.
"He's had his niggles over his career but we have never had him in better shape," said the winning trainer, who has the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in June as the Tamayuz gelding's next target.
“The Queen Anne is the race that comes to my mind, while remembering he is versatile and has won over a mile and a quarter. But I think the Queen Anne is what Sheikh Hamdan wants.
“Sir Michael is a brilliant trainer and his horses improve every season. Mustashry is getting better and we thought he'd run well today.
“They didn't go particularly quick for the first half of the race, but we got rolling and I tagged on to the back of Laurens, who gave me a nice toe.
"He beat a good filly into second, and he now feels like a proper horse, having won seven, a mile and a mile and a quarter. He had a little blip in the Breeders' Cup, but he's won well today.
“The good thing with this horse is that he is so consistent. He's an absolute pleasure to be around.”
Godolphin’s Mythical Magic coming for his first race after his success in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan Racecourse in February raced prominently before fading to finish third last in the 14-runner field.
