Beautiful Romance winner of the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy was one of three winners for Godolphin

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, she was ridden positively by Oisin Murphy who, clearly worried about the sedate early pace being set by Los Barbados, sent the Godolphin mare for home fully 700m out. 

Sheikhzayedroad, winner of the same race last year, tried to go with her but was soon outpaced and it was left to last year’s Dubai Gold Cup winner, Vazirabad, to appear out of the pack to give chase under Christophe Soumillon.

The pair appeared to be travelling strongly and closed to within a length of Murphy’s mount, who duly responded by quickening again, putting the race to bed in a few strides. Vazirabad was a clear second from Sheikhzayedroad in a quality renewal of the race.

“She is a lovely mare for a jockey to ride because you can put her anywhere in a race knowing she will settle and do what you want.

“I was keen to be positive on her and went for home a long way out because I knew she would just keep galloping and find plenty if I asked her again.
“That was a good performance because it was a strong field so Saeed and the team have done a great job to have her ready for this tonight.”

Earlier, the 7f Meydan Classic Sponsored by Al Naboodah Goodyear was dominated by the Godolphin racing operation which supplied the first three home in the Listed turf feature for three-year-olds.

However, it was Top Score, seemingly their third string, who landed the spoils with Adrie de Vries, sporting the red cap, denying Fly At Dawn, in the all blue, with Really Special splitting them. 

Saeed bin Suroor saddled the first and third, Charlie Appleby the runner-up and it was eventually an exciting finish with the three in line hitting the final 200m before the winner quickened in style.

In doing so, Top Score became the first winner of the course and distance Meydan Class Trial to follow up in the big race. 

“It was a stronger race than the trial,” said De Vries. “We actually missed the break but, as it transpired, that has probably helped us as I was able to get a nice lead. I did not want to hit the front too soon but I know this horse has plenty of speed so would quicken so waited on him. I am sure he would stay an extra 200m comfortably.”

Another Godolphin 1-2-3 followed immediately in the Al Naboodah Harley-Davidson® Trophy, a 2000m turf handicap won by the Appleby-trained Viren’s Army from stable companion Kidmenever with Bin Suroor’s Huge Future in third. 

Ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, Viren’s Army was soon in front but was headed fully 1400m out by First Selection before regaining the initiative at the top of the straight.

He skipped clear and never looked likely to be caught.

“He disappointed me last time but perhaps did not stay,” said Appleby. “Colm has given him a great ride and Kidmenever stayed on strongly and is really better over 2400m.”

The fourth race on the card, the Group 3 UAE Oaks Sponsored by Al Naboodah – Ashok Leyland, over 1900m on dirt, was won in style by Nomorerichblondes, runner-up in the UAE 1000 Guineas on her previous start.

That 1600m contest was won by Nashmiah who was a non-runner on Thursday evening following a respiratory problem but her Saudi Arabian connections at least saw the strength of the form advertised by the Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Nomorerichblondes and jockey, Antonio Fresu. 
“We were unlucky last time in the Guineas but I knew this extra 300m would suit her,” said Fresu. “She is still a bit green and learning about the game because she had a good look around when we hit the front.

“However, when the other filly came to us she really responded gamely but I thought she would as I knew she had plenty of left.
“She should improve from this and maybe even deserves a crack at the UAE Derby over the same course and distance.”

The only Purebred Arabian race on the card was the opening Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Sponsored by Al Naboodah Peugeot and the Francois Rohaut-trained Handassa became the third dual winner of the 2000m dirt feature. 

In doing so, he denied the 2015 victor, Versac PY, that honour for Erwan Charpy but for owner, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, it was a memorable result as he owns them both. It looked an unlikely outcome before halfway with Handassa, slowly into stride as the stalls opened, under pressure from Jim Crowley and clearly resenting the kickback.However, once taken wide by the owner’s retained jockey, he was much happier and made smooth progress down the back straight and they were tracking the leaders on the home turn.

Versac PY hit the front 300m from home but was promptly tackled by the winner who was in front 100m later and, despite a gallant effort by the runner-up, held on gamely.
“He was disappointing last time but is a nice horse and is best suited by a strong gallop to aim at,” said Rohaut. “It is still four weeks until the Kahayla Classic and he will improve from this outing.” 

Being contested for the first time, the Curlin Handicap Sponsored by Al Naboodah SUNWIN Buses, was over the same 2000m dirt course and distance as the Dubai World Cup and Mubtaahij, runner-up in Meydan’s biggest race of the season last year, had to settle for the same position in this. 
Conceding weight to all eight rivals and making his seasonal return, Mubtaahij and Christophe Soumillon eased into contention as the runners exited the home turn and looked the likely winner.

However, stalking them was Sam Hitchcott on the Doug Watson-trained Etijaah and they shot past with about 300m left and were never going to be caught, providing Sheikh Hamdan with a wining double on the night.

“This is such a great horse and a proper dirt performer,” said Hitchcott. “He is just so genuine and is happy to face the kickback which makes my job so much easier as I was able to follow Mubtaahij, knowing he would give me a tow into the race.

“I was then able to pull inside and pass him when I wanted after which, with our low weight, I was never worried. Basically, every fell into place tonight and it is great for the horse and everyone involved.”

The meeting concluded with the final handicap of the 2017 Dubai World Cup Carnival, the Al Naboodah KAESER Compressor Trophy, over 1400m on turf. It was won in style by the Mike de Kock-trained Suyoof, who came late and fast under Jim Crowley on the outside to overhaul Godolphin’s Bravo Zolo and stablemate, Tahanee. The three were separated by just a short head and a neck in a thriller finish.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival returns for Super Saturday on March 4, the official dress rehearsal for the Saturday March 25 US$30m Dubai World Cup.

Caption 1: Beautiful Romance, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor and ridden by Oisin Murphy, winner of the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy was one of three winners for Godolphin.

Top Score and Viren’s Army lead home Meydan clean sweeps

Godolphin enjoyed a pair of clean sweeps at this week’s Dubai World Cup Carnival fixture at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, February 23, with Top Score and Viren’s Army both leading home 1-2-3s for the royal blue silks.

Top Score edged out Fly At Dawn and Really Special as the trio dominated the finish to the seven-furlong Listed Meydan Classic on turf.

Successful over the same course and distance in the trial for this race on February 9, Top Score (Saeed bin Suroor/Adrie de Vries) broke slowly, switched to the inside rail and raced towards the rear of 11 runners as Fly At Dawn (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) took up the lead after a furlong. 

Fly At Dawn kicked for home entering the final quarter-mile but was collared with 75 yards left by Top Score, who ran on strongly to prevail by half a length in 1m 24.61s, with a head back to the staying-on Really Special (Saeed bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy). There was a further two and a half lengths to the fourth.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: “Top Score never shows a lot in the morning but he is a different horse on the racetrack and has improved physically out here in Dubai.

“We will see how he comes out of this race and talk to H H Sheikh Mohammed but he could back on dirt for the UAE Derby (G2, 9.5f, March 25) on Dubai World Cup Night.”

Adrie de Vries added: “This was a stronger race compared to the trial and I thought that it would be tougher for Top Score.

“I missed the break today but it worked out well because I could follow Really Special on the inside – Top Score can stop a bit in front but, as long as he can follow something, he is fine. He has tons of speed and it was only a matter of getting the space.

“He ran a good race on dirt from a wide draw in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial. If he had been drawn on the inside on that occasion, he would have gone close to winning.”

Viren’s Army gained an impressive success for Charlie Appleby in the Al Naboodah Harley-Davidson Trophy, with both Kidmenever and Huge Future finishing strongly to fill the places in the 10-furlong turf handicap.

Sent to the front early on by Colm O’Donoghue, Viren’s Army was headed by First Selection with seven furlongs left before regaining the lead just before entering the home straight.

Viren’s Army readily skipped clear of the field and was eased near the line for a very comfortable length and a half verdict over Kidmenever (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) in 2m 3.48s, with a further two lengths back to Huge Future (Saeed bin Suroor/Adrie De Vries). 

Charlie Appleby said: “We fancied Viren’s Army to run a big race on his first start but he didn’t see out the 12 furlongs on that occasion, which is why we dropped him back to a mile and a quarter.

“His homework had been good and we applied cheekpieces to help him travel. He has obviously got a bit of an engine and didn’t have anything around him, which suited. He got a nice lead off First Selection and picked up well.

“Both Viren’s Army and Kidmenever will start quarantine tomorrow and head back to England next month.

“Viren’s Army is a horse that we purchased for an international campaign and the long-term plan is to go to Australia for the spring carnival.”

Colm O’Donoghue remarked: “The cheekpieces helped Viren’s Army. I was able to get a breather into him when First Selection went to the front and he finished off the race strongly.

“He improved from his first run, is versatile between this trip and 12 furlongs and has got

fonte : Godolphin

 Risultati della Riunione di Meydan del 23 febbraio 2017

fonte : RacingPost 

 

 

Meydan: Antonio Fresu e #Nomorerichblondes stravincono le UAE Oaks. #Vazirabad e #Mubtaahij perdono i loro trials

 

 

 

Antonio Fresu è un fantino in continua crescita. Questa non è la solita storia di provincialismo italiano per cui siamo orientati ad esaltare sempre e comunque le gesta dei nostri fuori. No. Antonio, dopo aver sfiorato da carneade il titolo di Champion jockey in Italia qualche anno fa, da fantino acerbo è andato a fare esperienza fuori che gli ha dato un bagaglio di esperienza utilissimo a completare il suo percorso di crescita. E sta diventando grande. Dopo aver vinto il secondo Round del Maktoum Challenge in sella a Furia Cruzada, ha ottenuto un’altra brillante affermazione nel giovedì appena trascorso nelle UAE Oaks G3 in sella a Nomorerichblondes (Hard Spun), montata con totale percezione di sapere cosa aveva in mano, per vincere di una e mezza nei confronti di Midnight Chica (Midnight Lute) e Complimenti (Congrats). Va detto che prima della corsa è stata ritirata la favorita saudita Nashmiah (Alnajim Althakeb), che aveva battuto tutte le rivali delle Oaks nelle 1000 Ghinee locali, ma questo non toglie comunque prestigio ad Antonio ed alla 3 anni di proprietà di Buti Bintooq Almarri, ed allenata da Ahmed bin Harmash, che ha costruito finora tutta la sua carriera a Meydan dal debutto vittorioso in Dicembre fino al titolo Classico negli Emirati. Sarà curioso capire cosa farà da qui in avanti, ma certamente per Antonio è un plus per alzare le sue quotazioni in contesti internazionali. Bravo! IL VIDEO DELLE UAE OAKS QUI.

Per il resto ci sono state un paio di sconfitte cocenti da parte dei favoriti, in giornata. Per esempio nel Nad Al Sheba Trophy G3 il fava Vazirabad (Manduro), o meglio Cristophe Soumillon, è stato fin troppo confidente nel richiedere il suo battuto dalla femmina di Godolphin Beautiful Romance (New Approach), decisamente più in forma nel periodo. Vazirabad sembrava vincitore ed invece è incappato in una sconfitta che non ne scalfisce le ambizioni più avanti. Del resto, non era oggi che doveva essere pronto. Ma da un favorito come lui ci si aspettava di più. Terzo l’altro vincitore di G1 in campo, cioè Sheikzayedroad. IL VIDEO DEL NAD AL SHEBA TROPHY QUI.

Godolphin ha vinto un altro paio di corse tra cui il Meydan Classic, Listed per 3 anni sui 14000 metri, dominato in lungo ed in largo con Top Score (Hard Spun) che ha battuto Really Special (Shamardal) , favorita, e Fly At Dawn (Discreet Cat) arrivati rispettivamente terza e secondo.
Nel Curlin Handicap (VIDEO QUI) altro arrivo non atteso, ma con interesse nei confronti di Mubtaahij (Dubawi) che rientrava e rendeva chili, ma aveva bisogno della corsa per capire a che punto essere prima della Dubai World Cup G1. Risultato: Ha perso, con Soumillon in sella, in una corsa vinta da Etijaah (Daaher), capace di prendersi tanta di quella sabbia che neanche a Ostia d’estate, e ribaltare situazioni a lui sfavorevoli prima d’ora, cambiando marcia al momento giusto.  

Da segnalare in giornata un’altra prestazione a tinte Godolphin. Nel Al Naboodah Trophy (VIDEO QUI) sui 2000 metri a vincere è stato Viren’s Army (Twirling Candy), vecchia conoscenza del nostro galoppo per il terzo posto conseguito nel Berardelli G3 del 2015 vinto da Poeta Diletto, che dopo aver vinto anche le Dee Stakes a Chester è passato di mano ad un’asta di cavalli in allenamento di Londra (organizzata da Goffs) andando in training presso Godolphin che lo ha ripresentato poco meno di un ano dopo con un rientro tranquillo ad inizio Febbraio, ed una franca vittoria oggi a Meydan in handicap. 

 

TUTTI I RISULTATI DELLA GIORNATA CLICCANDO SU QUESTO LINK.

 

PUBBLICATO DA GABRIELE CANDI A VENERDÌ, FEBBRAIO 24, 2017