Doha: Oisin Murphy continues hot start on good afternoon for overseas runners

Oisin Murphy continued his impressive return to action when following up Thursday's comeback winner at Chelmsford with success on the Hugo Palmer-trained Flaming Rib in the local Group 3 Dukhan Sprint.

Despite being trapped wide from his stall 12 draw, Flaming Rib closed down the leaders a furlong and a half out and went on to hold local runner Taxiwala, who had won the 6f contest for the last two years, to give Palmer his first winner outside Europe.

Murphy, who was out of luck on his three rides at the HH Amir Sword Festival on Friday, said: "I rang Hugo at Christmas to ask if he was considering this race for the horse and he said he was. It's great to be here at such a fantastic meeting and big thanks to Hugo and Michael Owen as it was a big call to put me on the horse."

Emperor rules

Former Hong Kong riding legend Doug Whyte struck with his first runner overseas as a trainer when Russian Emperor came from last to first to win the HH Emir Trophy, one of two $2.5 million contests on the card. 

Previously trained by Aidan O'Brien, Russian Emperor left Ballydoyle contenders Broome and Stone Age well in arrears under Alberto Sanna. The dual Group 1 winner in Hong Kong led entering the final furlong and held the late thrust of the Charlie Appleby-trained Warren Point.

Russian Emperor (Alberto Sanna) wins the HH The Amir Trophy from Warren PointCredit: Edward Whitaker

Order scores

The opening Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup fittingly went the way of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Order Of Australia. Ryan Moore was keen to make the running on the six-year-old and after bagging the rail in the back straight the winner had enough in reserve to hold local runner Band Width in the $500,000 contest.

Moore said: "He's a class horse on his day as a Breeders' Cup Mile winner and it's nice for him to get back on track. He's probably going to improve for the run and he was waiting a little bit in front." 

Order Of Australia is now set for a return to the Middle East for the Dubai Turf at Meydan next month.

Alzahir overcomes wide draw in Al Rayyan

Alzahir, the first runner in Qatar for John and Thady Gosden, made it three European wins out of the first four races on the card when he overcame a wide trip to land the local Group 2 Al Rayyan Mile under Andrea Atzeni.

Read more:

Eustace poised to head home with a major Royal Ascot contender after Lightning strike 

Lucander lands another big pot for George Baker as Bahrain turf series concludes  

Tom Segal had a 16-1 winner last Saturday - get 50% off for three months and access his expert advice  

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.