Qatar Derby on the horizon for progressive Scarlet Dragon

Eve Johnson Houghton is hoping to cap what has already been a very good year on a high as stable star Scarlet Dragon is heading to Doha for the Qatar Derby.

Johnson Houghton is enjoying her best year with 41 winners and nearly £500,000 in prize-money, and will break new ground with a first runner in Qatar on December 29.

Owned by Henry Ponsonby, Scarlet Dragon has been highly progressive this year, winning four times and climbing 30lb in the handicap from a mark of 79 to 109.

The three-year-old's latest victory came in the valuable Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket last month, and he will now tackle the $500,000 Qatar Derby, which is a local Grade 1.

Jim Crowley will take the ride in Doha, and Johnson Houghton said: "It's very exciting and he flies out on December 22. I will fly out on December 26.

"There's a lot to look forward to. He's probably rated too high for handicaps so we could be going the Group race-route and if he's good enough I'd like to think we might be going to Australia this time next year."