The fourth meeting of the 2020 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday evening was highlighted by the Group 2 US$250,000 Al Fahidi Fort. The 1400m turf feature was dominated by trainer Charlie Appleby, who swept the top three with his trio of performers, providing a first winner in the UAE for owner HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing with Glorious Journey.
Under James Doyle, Glorious Journey was settled in fourth before closing on his stable companions Mubtasim and Mythical Magic, ridden by Brett Doyle and William Buick respectively, quickening to the front 200m out and always appearing to have their measure.
Buick’s mount gave chase, but had to settle for second for the second consecutive year in the race. A US$3.4 million yearling, the 5YO Dubawi gelding has now won five times, including Newbury’s 1400m Gr. 2 Hungerford Stakes, a success for which he was penalised here.
“I’m delighted, as he’s is a good horse and seven furlongs is his trip,” Appleby said. “He was a bit disappointing in his last start, but he has a rock-solid form. The plan now is to perhaps go to Saudi for a race just short of seven furlongs, which seems perfect for him. With Mythical Magic, we’ll probably do the same and go to the Zabeel Mile with him and Mubtasim is undecided. We’ll just have to see how he comes out. There’s a race during the Craven meeting for him and possibly at the Carnival beforehand. They’re all three Group 2/Group 3 horses and showed that they’re that calibre today.”
The Listed US$250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas for 3yo fillies was the first classic of the season and went to Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, but not with favoured Final Song. It instead was powerfully won by Dubai Love, who appeared to love the extra ground this time around, as opposed to the 1400m of the Trial in which she was a gaining fourth. Pouncing on her rivals, she put distance between herself and runner-up Down on Da Bayou (Mickael Barzalona aboard), with Christophe Soumillon and the favourite back in third.
A conditions race for 3yo, the US$100,000 Al Bastakiya Trial, was contested over the same 1900m on dirt as the big Super Saturday race itself. It was won in facile fashion by Laser Show, after which Bin Suroor had provided the winner of the three races in which he was involved. Settled in third by Kevin Stott, behind his stable companions Lost in Time and First View, the New Approach colt swooped past that pair at the top of the straight, immediately establishing a significant advantage that was never going to be bridged.
A 1000m turf handicap upgraded to Listed status this year, the US$175,000 Dubai Dash, was turned into a procession by Equilateral, giving weight to all bar one of his seven rivals. Homebred by Prince Khaled Abdulla and a first UAE winner for Charlie Hills, the 5yo son of Equiano was gelded over the summer has shown decent form in good sprints in Europe, including four victories, highlighted by a Listed success at Doncaster last September.
The evening began with the P & O Marina Handicap over 2410m on turf in which Harry Bentley-piloted Dubai Future ran like a horse with a serious future for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor. Stalking Zaman early, he flanked his foe until committing for home fully 500m from home. He shot clear and held Irish invader Massif Central comfortably at the line.
The finale, the Jebel Ali Port, a handicap over the same 2000m on dirt as the $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline was won in determined fashion by Satish Seemar-trained George Villiers. Reading the quick pace set early by American invader Parsimony early, jockey Tadhg O’Shea bided his time until unleashing a sustained rally that overtook Montsarrat, Great King and Parsimony, who finished astern him in that order.
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Race Info: Distance: 1,400 metres, Surface: Turf, Track: Left-handed, Purse: US$250,000
Credit: Story curated from press release by Dubai Racing Club