The final race meeting of the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival, The Super Saturday was held at the Meydan Race Course. Without saying a word you can feel the excitement. Seven ultimate races and seven outperforming winners. The highlights of the day were two Gr1 races the Jebel Hatta and the Al Maktoum Challenge R3. They did live up to the expectations.
After having a not so good outing at Jebel Ali a day before, Richard Mullen found his gear on Satish Seemar trained North America to win the Gr1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3. A Gr1 race run over 2000m on dirt for a prize money of USD 400,000. North America finished the race in a fast 02:01:71 in a comfortable fashion. So far three horses have won the $10 million Dubai World Cup after winning this race and North America will definitely be eyeing to be the fourth. He outran Godolphin’s Thunder Snow who came in second by almost 5 ½ lengths and E Chapy trained Furia Cruzada who came in third was 3¾ lengths farther back.
“Last time, when second to Thunder Snow (in Round 2), was probably a career-best and he has built on that again tonight. I just wanted to get him into a rhythm; not necessarily to lead, but we broke so well, I was able to get to the front and he was then always happy. I am just very lucky to be part of a big team with Satish at Zabeel Stables. Everyone works so hard and it is great on occasions like this for everyone. Obviously the Dubai World Cup is going to be a stronger race, but he deserves his chance.”
Another Gr1 race run over 1800m on Turf for a prize money of USD 300,000, The Jebel Hatta. The second highlight of the day was a very tough race with leaders changing almost 6 times in the final 400 meters. But Godolphin’s Blair House kept his cool under James Doyle to win this race in an amazing style beating another Godolphin owned horse, Benbatl who came in second is trained by Saeed bin Suroor and Mike de Kock trained Janoobi who came in third.
Appleby, who won the 2016 Jebel Hatta with Tryster, said: “We knew this horse arrived here in good form and it looked a wide open race, as it transpired to be. I am sure we will have to come back with him in three weeks in what will be a stronger race but he owes us nothing now.”
Doyle added: “We won a bit too easily last time, so we had to step him up in class as there was no handicap opportunity for him. It has actually worked out very well in the end, because he is a Group 1 winner now!”
The middle leg of the UAE Triple Crown, Al Bastakiya, is a listed race run over 1900M for a prize money of USD 250,000. It was the first race of the day. This race saw Satish Seemar trained Yulong Warrior take early lead under Richard Mullen and maintain that lead till the end. In the process he defeated Nordic Defense and Rua Augusta who came in second and third respectively.
“He is a horse we have always really liked and thought would continue improving as he matures,” Mullen said. “He won his maiden well last time, over 1600m but, obviously, this was a stronger race and he has coped with the increase in both class and distance. He has surprised me just how much he had improved from last time but the nice, low, draw has helped him in both his wins. There should still be more to come from him but the UAE Derby will be a stronger race again. Fingers crossed we can get a nice draw in that as well.”
The second race of the day was the Mahab Al Shimaal. Run over 1200m, this Gr3 race was run for a prize money of USD 200,000. The 2012 winner Krypton Factor could not repeat his feat due to an amazing debut performance on dirt by another Fawzi Nass trained, Jordan Sport. Under Adrie de Vries he shot like a bullet to take the lead but being closely followed by Salem bin Ghadayer trained Yalta, who came in second. Krypton Factor had to settle for fourth as Silvestre De Sousa ridden Wild Dude gave a gritty finish to come in third. In the process Jordan Sport surpassed the track record and finished the race in just 1:10.18.
De Vries said: “Fawzi asked me to work him on the dirt on Monday to see how he handled it and he loved, so it so we came to this race, not the turf option. We had a good draw and he was very quickly out of the gates, so I was able to get across to that rail. Once I gave him a breather on the turn and committed him for home, he put the race to bed in a few strides. Hopefully we can get a good draw on the big night, because it really does help. That was impressive today and we can enjoy this win then worry about the race in three weeks.”
A race run over 1200m for a prize money USD 200,000, The Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, saw Godolphin’s Jungle Cat win and set a new track record. He led the race under William Buick from half way and also saw it through defeating Ertijaal and Top Score who came in second and third respectively.
“He has won that really well, but we knew he was in good form,” Buick said. “The form of his Al Fahidi Fort victory over 1400m was advertised by the win over Janoobi and he has loved this fast gallop to aim at this evening. I was soon in a good rhythm and knew he would be staying on strongly. In the end, he has won pretty comfortably. The soft ground did not suit him in the Al Quoz Sprint last year, so hopefully we get quick ground this time, because I think he is better than ever.”
The Gr3 race run over 1600m for a prize money of USD 200,000, the Burj Nahar saw dramatic ending to the race. 2017 winner Heavy Metal was sent to an early lead by Mickael Barzalona with Kimbear, Secret Ambition and Musawaat following closely. But a weakening Heavy Metal could not hold on to his lead as all three horses surpassed him. D Watson trained Kimbear won the race followed by Seemar trained Secret Ambition in second and Fawzi Nass trained Musawaat in third. Heavy Metal had to settle for a well fought fourth.
“I thought I was in trouble for a moment, but I could see Heavy Metal was getting tired and my fellow has run on gamely,” Dobbs said. “We went very quick early on, so credit to my horse for responding again in the straight when I asked him.”
The last race of the meeting was the Gr2 race Dubai City Of Gold run over 2410m for a prize money of USD 250,000. The race was dominated by Godolphin owned horses. Godolphin got a perfect three with C Appleby trained Hawkbill and Frontiersman fighting it out in the final 300m. Hawkbill won the battle by a gritty performance. In the process he lowered the course record to 2:26.85 under William Buick. Frontiersman came in second and S bin Suroor trained Gold Star came in third.
“They fought it out well and it was a good race,” Buick said. “I had quite a tough trip and the horse did really well, having to cover a bit of ground. It was a really good performance and he’s an exciting horse, who seems to get better with age.”
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By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com