Snow Fairy Takes Japan's QE II Cup

British raider Snow Fairy, winner of the Investec Oaks (Eng-I) this summer, produced a decisive four-length win in Japan's $2.1 million Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-I) at Kyoto Racecourse Nov. 14.

Snow Fairy, an Irish-bred filly that also won the Irish Oaks (Ire-I) this season for trainer Edward Dunlop, made easy work of her rivals in the 2,200-meter (about 11 furlongs) grass test to become the first foreign horse to win the event. Her rivals included 5-year-old mare Meisho Beluga, the runner-up as the second choice in the field of 17 females, and favored Apapane, Japan's filly triple crown champion who finished third as the favorite.

“She put the race to bed in a couple strides," winning jockey Ryan Moore said of the 3-year-old daughter of Intikhab. "She was very good-looking today.”

The other foreign competitor in the field, the Roger Attfield-trained Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT) winner Ave, finished a disappointing 16th with Javier Castellano aboard.

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