A pair of Godolphin runners hooked up in an eyeball fight before finishing 1-2 in the feature race as the Dubai World Cup Carnival took place during its seventh session on the 25th. February at Meydan Racecourse.
Youth was finally served as Royal Fleet a 4 year old child Dubai gelding, go home first, short head in front Star Safari a 6 year old child by Sea The Stars in the Dubai Millennium Shares presented by Lincoln (G3).
The 2,000-metre turf event that is the star attraction on a card also sees Godolphin as a potential contender for the Cazoo Derby (G1) at Epsom. A determined opponent also secured a spot in the group 1 sprint on World Cup night.
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Royal Fleet connections during title presentation after Dubai Millennium Shares in Meydan
In the Millennium Stakes, the Royal Fleet and racer James Doyle obscured the original leader and took the lead at the beginning of the ramp. Star Safari, last year’s winner, appeared outside for an advantage briefly but Royal Fleet fought back through the final steps to win.
This is the third Carnival of the Royal Fleet starting after a pair of runners-up. Both of the top were trained by Charlie Appleby.
Doyle said of the Royal Fleet: “He is a young horse, making progress all year and everything is fine tonight. “To be fair, he had to fight when Star Safari got to him. But he’s definitely gotten more professional with experience and race.”
Appleby and Doyle also combined to win the second 2,000-meter turf challenge of the night, the Al Tayer Motors-sponsored Derby Jumeirah. National pridea Godolphin hybrid foal by Teofilo inactive in midfield all the way to the top of the lane, trying to take the lead and make it past the last 100 yards to win by 3 1/4 of the length from Sed Maarib.
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One of Appleby’s, New Kingdombecame the most popular player in international tournaments and finished third with Frankie Dettori.
After a second on its debut last September at Yarmouth, Nation’s Pride won twice in all-weather courses before being scrapped. The Jumeirah Derby was an impressive three-year-old debut that Appleby cautiously included thoughts of Epsom in the post-race conversation.
“We knew he was fine so this seemed the right race for him and he did it with satisfaction,” said the coach. “He’s pretty fresh so that’s pleasant and we’ll probably bring him back to England and look at a prep game for Derby.”
Batwan and 7 year old kid Kendargent gelding did nothing to harm his cause.
With Mickael Barzalona up, the gray general worked between opponents to the center of a three-horse sprint to the finish line, dominated by a short header. Jadwal with Taneen Other neck retrograde on Tuesday. The winner, formerly based in France, won 2 for 2 during the Carnival.
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“We’re hoping to run him at the Al Quoz Sprint (G1),” said coach Nicolas Caullery, “but we’ll have to see how the disabled react. But we won’t be running him next week on Super Saturday.”
The Super Saturday March 5 in Meydan wraps up the World Cup Masquerade with virtual auditions for most of the races on World Cup Day three weeks later.
In other races on the February 25 card, Summer is tomorrow was the easiest winner in the 1,400 meter (about seven stakes) Al Karama Stakes area presented by Lincoln Corsair, a grass field event for 3-year-olds; Law of Peace regroup from the last to land the Lincoln Navigator Handicap at 1,600 meters (about a mile) above the ground; and Notre Dame scored a nasty two-way win for coach Doug O’Neill in the Lincoln Aviator Stakes at 1,200 meters above ground.
