MICKDAAM (IRE), who is temporarily in the care of trainer Richard Fahey in the United Kingdom, won Thursday’s Gr3 Chester Vase over 2500m at Chester Racecourse for Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.  

With his win the three-year-old, who won at Meydan during the 2012 Dubai Carnival when trained by Mike de Kock, has qualified himself for the Investec Derby in the first week of June.

Mickdaam, ridden by Tony Hamilton, was held up for a run in the early part, hit the front around 400m out and held on gamely to win by a short head from Model Pupil, with Aiden O’Brien-trained favourite David Livingstone only managing fourth in a small field.

Mike commented:  “Mickdaam’s South African connection goes beyond Dubai. He was bought for Sheik Mohammed at the Tattersalls Sale by Jehan Malherbe’s Form Bloodstock team, so congratulations to all of them!”

Mickdaam is by Dubawi from Ribot’s Guest, by Be My Guest.