C Appleby is on a role. His pupil Jungle Cat wins the 2018 Al Quoz Sprint. The son of Iffraaj has given Godolphin their first win the Al Quoz Sprint race at the Dubai World Cup. “I said before the race that if Blue Point was to falter tonight then Jungle Cat would be there to pick up the pieces,” Appleby said.
“I don’t know what happened with Blue Point but there just seemed to be a trickle of blood from his nose. Once he was withdrawn I knew I had to compose myself as Jungle Cat was in the form of his life. The team has done a fantastic job and I am delighted to win. I fancied him last year but the rain came and he finished fourth. He is now a Group 1 winner and I am very proud of him.
“James (Doyle, jockey) gets on with him very well and he rode a perfect race. It is a first Group 1 for Jungle Cat and it is richly deserved. It is also a terrific feeling to win a race on the biggest stage for Godolphin,” the trainer added.
James Doyle said: “Obviously, he stays 1400m so I jumped quite well and then found myself just in the middle of them. He is a horse who likes to get a bit of room, so there was that option after going a furlong or so to move out to my right and give him all the room in the world and that panned out all right. You can set the clock by him. He is fantastic.”
P Miller trained and Joel Rosario ridden Stormy Liberal could only manage a second spot behind Jungle Cat another P Miller trained 6 year old ridden by Victor Espinoza, Conquest Tsunami came in third behind both of them. “I thought I might go by when we came into the last 200m but the winner was too tough. We raced away from the others, and maybe my horse might have done a little better with some company, but he’s still run a very good race.”
“All three ran great. I couldn’t be happier. As for Story Liberal, it was great to see him run to form. He just got beat.” said P Miller
By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com