DUBAI GOLD CUP

(GROUP 2)

CROSS Counter and William Buick led home a Godolphin-Charlie Appleby 1-2 to kick-start a night to remember for the team in this two-mile marathon on turf, the $1.5 million Group Dubai Gold Cup sponsored by Al Tayer Motors.

Winner of the Melbourne Cup last November, Cross Counter defied the lengthy lay-off, showing great courage to collar Ispolini just over a furlong out and win by a length and a quarter in a time of 3min 19secs, the third-best in the 11-year history of the race. Cross Counter, who gave both his trainer and jockey their first successes in the race, was taking his career record to six wins and two second placings from nine races.

French-trained Call The Wind stayed on to be third, three lengths off the first two and four lengths ahead of Gold Mount, Hong Kong’s first runner in the race.

Both the trainer and jockey were happy with the result. Appleby said: “It was his first opportunity to run since Melbourne and he answered all the questions.

“I’m delighted with the result, it’s what tonight is all about and it’s good to get the first one out of the way. I just spoke to His Highness and we said we’d let the dust settle before coming up with a plan but we could maybe go for the Gold Cup. We’ll sit back and enjoy today before deciding where we go.”

Buick added: “I was always going to choose Cross Counter over Ispolini and it is great he has come out and won on his return. Cross Counter is a special horse for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin. The pace was a bit stop-start and I was very happy with the way he travelled and he finished off well. It is a great effort when you consider he has been off since the Melbourne Cup.”