Battaash produced one of the finest sprinting performances of recent times with a sensational victory in the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes yesterday. The Charlie Hills-trained four-year-old travelled easily throughout the five-furlong event and displayed a potent turn of foot to put the race to bed in a matter of strides, winning by four lengths under Jim Crowley. The son of Dark Angel was an easy two and a quarter-length winner of the race last year and became the eighth horse in history to win the race twice.

Hills described the performance by Battaash, who had to carry a 3lb penalty for his Group 1 success in last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye, as “a career best” as he toyed with his rivals. Breeders Paul and Marie McCartan recently won the Connolly’s Red Mills/ The Irish Field Flat breeder of the year award.