3 minute read

Thursday evening at Dubai's Meydan Racecourse featured the 2810m (14-furlong) Nad Al Sheba Trophy (G3), the final local prep for the $750,000 Dubai Gold Cup (G2) over 3200m (two miles) on March 27.

$195,000 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (G3)
Race 4 (20:15)
2810m (turf)
Winner: VOLCANIC SKY
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Breeder: Godolphin (GB)
Sire: Street Cry
2nd: GLOBAL HEAT (Andrea Atzeni)
3rd: BRILLIANT LIGHT (Pat Cosgrave)
Time: 2:56.63
Margins: Short Head, 1 1/4, 1 1/4 

Ispolini, winner of the race in dominant style two years ago, vied for favouritism with Away He Goes and Volcanic Sky , but in the end it was the last listed who gutted out a well-earned victory under Frankie Dettori. Leading home Global Heat and Brilliant Light, it was a 1-2-3 for Saeed bin Suroor over the testing trip.

Bin Suroor: "He is a tough horse and he always tries very hard. He is a big, strong horse and he always improves after his first race. Frankie was in a nice position all through the race and at the last two furlongs I felt he had a chance to win. The horse finished his race really well and this opens up the options for him. We might think of taking him to Dubai World Cup day."

Star Safari Too Good In G3 Dubai Millennium

$130,000 Dubai Millennium (G3)
Race 5 (20:50)
2000m (turf)
Winner: STAR SAFARI
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Breeder: Gestüt Brümmerhof (GB)
Sire: Sea The Stars
2nd: BEDOUIN'S STORY (Frankie Dettori)
3rd: HALIMI (Andrea Atzeni)
Time: 2:04.01
Margins: 1 1/4, 1, 3/4 

In Brief: While it was not as exciting as last year when Ghaiyyath stormed home in course-record time to commence a season in which he was crowned the world's top-rated horse, Thursday's G3 Dubai Millennium renewal was an exciting one, with Star Safari  affirming the collective suspicion that he could be an exciting horse for the future, winning on just two weeks' rest and cutting back from 12 to 10 furlongs with aplomb. William Buick was astride, giving Charlie Appleby a third win on the night and Godolphin its fourth. 

Buick: "He is a pretty lightly raced horse and I really liked what he did tonight. It was a very straightforward win for him and he kept fighting all the way to the line. It might not be the best Group 3 around, but they are pretty well-seasoned horses and it was a good performance. He has had three runs this winter here, so I guess they might have one eye on the Carnival next winter."

Brraq Blooms In G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3

$65,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (G1-PA)
Race 1 (18:30)
2000m (dirt)
Winner: BRRAQ
Owner: Yas Racing
Trainer: Jean-Claude Pecout
Jockey: Ryan Curatolo
Breeder: HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan (FR)
Sire: Mahabb
2nd: AL ROBA'A AL KHALI (Al Moatasem Al Balushi)
3rd: AF ALWAJEL (Tadhg O'Shea)
Time: 2:13.58 (Track Record)
Margins: 1 1/2, 3 3/4, 8 3/4

In Brief: Purebred Arabians of the highest level kicked off the card in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3. Taking advantage of the top local of the breed, RB Frynchh Dude, being absent (finished unplaced on Saturday in the $2 million Obaiya Arabian Classic on Saudi Cup Day), the race looked up for grabs between multiple runners. In the end, the horse who just finished second to him, Brraq , won his second Group 1 of the season for trainer Jean-Claude Pecout, breaking the 2000m track record with a stalk-and-pounce victory. Ryan Curatolo was in the saddle for Yas Racing. A game Al Roba'a Al Khali was second for Oman and talented sprinter-miler AF Alwajel finished third. All three could have claims for the upcoming Group 1 $750,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic at the Dubai World Cup meeting.

Curatolo: "Here at Meydan you can save ground and down the line make your move when you're straightening up. If I were going wide, I think it would have been harder to win the race, so I cut the corner and made a move. I was quite impressed. The pace was a bit too fast for me, so I kind of just relaxed and went in and took my time and made my run." 

Naval Crown Sinks Master Of The Seas In Meydan Classic

$88,000 Meydan Classic (Listed)
Race 3 (19:40)
1400m (turf)
Winner: NAVAL CROWN
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
Breeder: Godolphin (GB)
Sire: Dubawi
2nd: MASTER OF THE SEAS (William Buick)
3rd: YURMAN (Dane O'Neill)
Time: 1:36.53
Margins: 1 3/4, 8, 1 1/4

In Brief: The talk of the meeting before it started was Group 2-winning 2000 Guineas (G1) candidate Master of the Seas making his 3-year-old debut in the Meydan Classic (Listed), but it was his stablemate, thrice G3-placed Naval Crown  who made all and held off the star of the yard under an excellent Mickael Barzalona. Master of the Seas never came within 1 3/4 lengths, as the pair both finished their final 400m in 23.90 seconds. It was another eight lengths back to Yurman in third. 

Appleby: "We pitched him in at Group level as a 2-year-old and he was well-placed twice there. We were not planning to run him in the 2000 Guineas, but he was working nicely in the dirt and therefore we felt we would give him a chance and he ran a very solid race. Returning to turf was always going to favour him. He came into the race race-fit with conditions to suit and he has gone and done it nicely. Personally, I think the horse will come back in trip when we get back to Europe."

Listed Meydan Challenge Conquered By Zainhom

$88,000 Meydan Challenge (Listed)

Race 6 (21:25)
1400m (turf)
Winner: ZAINHOM
Owner: HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Trainer: Musabbeh Al Mheiri
Jockey: Dane O'Neill
Breeder: Shadwell Farm (USA)
Sire: Street Cry
2nd: WASIM (Fernando Jara)
3rd: DUBAI LEGACY (Harry Bentley)
Time: 1:23.71
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, 2 1/2 

In Brief:Zainhom  proved that he still has it after a series of close losses and tough runs, swallowing half the field in the final furlong to land the Meydan Challenge (Listed) for HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri. Not with the easiest of runs, he was forced to go widest of all, but found virgin ground out there under Dane O'Neill, eating up the grass en route to a 1 1/4-length win over a game Wasim. 

Maria Ritchie, Assistant Trainer: "He's a great horse to work with. He's a genuine horse in the morning. He always seemed to get there easy enough, he just doesn't get past the one in front, so tonight's his night. It's a big boost for the stable." 

Bright Melody On Song In Carnival Handicap

$65,000 GetThat.com Handicap (90-100)
Race 2 (19:05)
1800m (turf)
Winner: BRIGHT MELODY
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: James Doyle
Breeder: Godolphin (IRE)
Sire: Dubawi 
2nd: DUBAI MIRAGE (Frankie Dettori)
3rd: PROMPTING (Antonio Fresu)
Time: 1:49.34
Margins: 1 3/4, Nose, 1 1/2

In Brief: Bright Melody  improved upon his solid second last out in handicap company astern Ya Hayati, defeating a well-matched handicap field for Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and jockey James Doyle. The son of Dubawi was ridden with confidence from mid-pack, hitting the front with plenty left and holding off Dubai Mirage and Prompting in the final furlong, hinting that his best days could still be to come. The win was his second from seven starts. Ya Hayati checked in fifth. 

Doyle: "I wasn't confident he would reverse the placings (with Ya Hayati), but I was mindful that both horses would improve, like Charlie's have done throughout the Carnival. I was pretty pleased after a couple furlongs with the pitch we found ourselves in. I actually envisioned me being a bit closer to the speed, but didn't begin all that well. There were a few quicker away than me who rushed up there, so we had a bit of a task early to secure a nice spot, but it worked out perfectly in the end. I thought it would play into our hands. After his first run, we thought he just got tired and got picked off for a bit of speed. I think he's quite versatile and he's a strong traveller, which will stand him in good stead at whichever trip he runs."