Three-year-old Elusive Quality filly Devotee took the Meydan City-sponsored UAE Oaks over nine furlongs (1800m) at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday.
Running in Godolphin’s royal blue silks, the Darley-bred filly was following in the footsteps of her dam Danuta (Sunday Silence), who won the same event in 2003. The Listed contest has become something of a family tradition as Danuta’s Quiet American half-sister Folk also won the UAE Oaks for Godolphin in 2007 on the back of her victory in the UAE 1,000 Guineas.
Devotee is Elusive Quality’s second Stakes winner this week following the victory of Cardinal Virtue in the Redelva Stakes at Cheltenham in Australia. Elusive Quality is also the sire of new Darley stallion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass.
Earlier on the Nad Al Sheba card, the Godolphin team won the DRC Gold Cup with Veracity (Lomitas) and Frankie Dettori was narrowly denied a Group Three victory when Hatta Fort, a last-time-out winner at the Carnival by Cape Cross, had to settle for second just behind South African dual Group One winner J J The Jet Plane in the Al Quoz Sprint.
