Meydan
THE Group 3 UAE Oaks was the highlight at Meydan on Thursday and it produced a shock result with Rayya romping home under Pat Dobbs.
The race was for three-year-old fillies on the dirt worth US$250,000 and Doug Watson’s filly made all in getting revenge on favourite Winter Lightning (1/5 favourite), who had defeated her in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas and UAE 1000 Guineas Trial.
Winter Lightning disappointed after a wide trip under Pat Cosgrave, and fellow Godolphin runner Expressiy, who ran gamely to be second under William Buick.
Owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Rayya was an ultra-impressive winner of a seven-furlong juvenile fillies’ maiden on her debut in December.
“She was a lot more relaxed today than last time when we never really knew what upset her,” Dobbs said. “Halfway down the back straight I knew she was going to be very hard to beat. You have to compliment Doug and his team for getting her back to her best.”
Watson said. “I imagine we will have to look at the UAE Derby now but will enjoy this first.”
The $1 million Kentucky Oaks may also be on the radar for the US-bred daughter of Tiz Wonderful.
RARE RHYTHM
Christophe Soumillon was denied in the Group 3 $200,000 Nad Al Sheba Trophy over 14 furlongs on turf, when he and dual Dubai Gold Cup winner Vazirabad could not catch Godolphin’s Appleby-trained Rare Rhythm and William Buick.
Both horses were settled well off the pace before, almost simultaneously, making smooth progress to challenge two furlongs out, Rare Rhythm produced a good burst of speed, with Vazirabad switching to the inside to chase his rival.
After a fine rally, and obviously needing the race, Vazirabad and Soumillon accepted defeat inside the final half-furlong, saving their best effort for their likely clash with the winner in the Dubai Gold Cup in four weeks.
“That was very impressive and I was mindful that I did not want to give him too hard a race,” Buick said. “He has not had that much racing and is a horse we have always really liked. The extra distance in the Dubai Gold Cup should suit him and he must go there with a big chance.”
Appleby added: “I have spoken to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and we have agreed he will stay here for the Dubai Gold Cup. We thought he had a big chance tonight because he was working very well and looked in great nick.”
BUICK AGAIN
The Listed $150,000 Meydan, an eight-furlong turf contest for three-year-olds, was won in by Godolphin’s Zaman, patiently ridden by William Buick for Charlie Appleby.
Buick was able to settle him behind the leaders on the rail. Once he pulled him out with one and a half furlongs left, they hit the front and quickened clear nicely, despite a slight saddle slip.
“We went a nice gallop, so I was always pretty confident a gap would appear and it did when we wanted it,” Buick said. “He has produced a nice turn-of-foot and is a nice, young horse.”
Godolphin completed a double with Saeed bin Suroor, out of luck with Winter Lightning, gaining some consolation with Top Score, produced fast and late by Christophe Soumillon to land the Al Naboodah National Plant Trophy over seven furlongs on turf by three-quarters of a length over The Grape Escape.
The meeting kicked off with the only Purebred Arabian contest on the card, Round 3 of the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge. A resolute Ziyadd was given a well-timed ride by Richard Mullen to beat Paddys’ Day and Barnamaj. Trained by Jean de Roualle for Yas Horse Racing Management, he was never far off the pace before hitting the front early in the straight and kicking clear to the wire.
Mullen completed a double, sending Argentine Grade 1 winner Saltarin Dubai straight to the front in the $160,000 Curlin Handicap over 10 furlongs and never turning back. The pair got a bit of revenge on Godolphin’s Don’t Give Up, who had beaten him into second on their previous two outings.
Over the same trip as the $10 million Dubai World Cup, this handicap was won by Curlin in 2008 en route to victory in the big event and more recently won by California Chrome in 2016.
The closing Al Naboodah Trade School Trophy over 10 furlongs on turf, resulted in a victory for the Appleby-trained Kidmenever, under a fine ride by James Doyle.
After stalking well, the Godolphin charge finished two and a half lengths clear of a valiant Baroot under Christophe Soumillon,with the Appleby-Godolphin stablemate Banksea another two lengths back in third.
The final meeting of the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival is next weekend’s Super Saturday, on March 10th, before the Dubai World Cup card three weeks later.