Dubai Sheema Classic

(Group 1)

A SUPER select field of seven lined up for the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic over a mile and a half on turf, and the heavy rain that turned the going good to soft suited the winner Jack Hobbs. Winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby two years ago, he has had an interrupted campaign since, but this victory is likely to herald a rewarding season ahead.

A son of Halling and bred by Willie Carson’s Minster Stud, the five-year-old was a popular winner in the silks of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin, and they race him in partnership. Godolphin’s retained jockey William Buick was renewing a partnership with Gosden that won the same race seven years earlier with Dar Re Mi.

Ryan Moore set the pace on Highland Reel, one of two Aidan O’Brien runners, but it was his slow-starting stablemate Seventh Heaven who came from the rear to finish second under Seamie Heffernan, beaten two and a quarter lengths, with last year’s winner Postponed third.

REFLECTED

A delighted Gosden reflected on the victory: “This is a real family affair for Sheikh Mohammed and I am delighted for everyone. The horse picked up an injury last year and we couldn’t do much with him, but his form at Ascot at the back-end was rock solid with Almanzor and Found. The ground tonight has been opened up so Ryan [Moore] stayed off the rail, which was always going to allow something to come through, but he gave us a nice lead.

“William did as he did on Dar Re Mi, and he waited and waited and it has paid off. I put semi-blinkers on the horse tonight just to make him concentrate. He has had so much time off that he forgets he is a racehorse and is looking around at who is in the boxes in the stands. He is in no way un-genuine, but he was dreaming at Ascot and I just wanted to concentrate his mind.”

Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson added: “This is a great credit to John Gosden and his team and two years ago they made a plan to bring this horse here for this race as a five-year-old, and they have stuck to the plan. I am not sure where we will take him next as we just want to enjoy tonight.”

A 60,000gns Tattersalls October Sale yearling, Jack Hobbs has won half of his 10 starts and almost $5.5 million.

Aidan O’Brien said of Seventh Heaven, “She ran very well. I’m very happy,” while a disappointed Ryan Moore commented that Highland Reel, who finished last, “didn’t run very well and didn’t enjoy the ground.”