ON a card that featured a pair of Group 2 races for thoroughbreds, Thursday evening’s fourth meeting of the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival saw Bahraini Fawzi Nass capture the centrepiece Al Maktoum Challenge R2 with the German-foaled Salute The Soldier, given a majestic ride by Adrie de Vries. The race was won last year by Benbatl.

In the nine and a half furlong contest on dirt Capezzano and Mickael Barzalona set out to try and make every post a winning one, but de Vries was never far away. A head-to-head duel developed throughout the first part of the straight before Capezzano faltered, leaving Salute The Soldier with a clear advantage, one he was never likely to relinquish. The Dutch-born de Vries was sporting the silks of Victorious.

Bred by Alan Spence, Salute The Soldier is a six-year-old gelded son of Sepoy, and he was purchased by Oliver St Lawrence for 380,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Sale in 2019. Nass’ charge was registering a third Carnival success after winning twice last year, in a mile turf handicap and then, over the same trip but on dirt, in Super Saturday’s Group 3 Burj Nahaar. The gelding was previously trained by Clive Cox.

De Vries said: “Things had not gone to plan in two runs so far this season, so we decided to step him up in trip and it has worked perfectly. We went a good early pace but I was keen to pressure Mickael quite early and then my horse really picked up well. Perhaps we can look at the Dubai World Cup.” The race has been won twice by subsequent Dubai World Cup winners, Moon Ballad in 2003 and Thunder Snow in 2018.

Al Rashidiya

The rest of the card was run on turf and seven went to post for the nine-furlong Group 2 Al Rashidiya, captured 12 months ago by Barney Roy. Mickael Barzalona was allowed a relatively easy lead aboard the Nanallac Stud-bred Court House, with William Buick and Zakouski settled in third, taking the shortest route and sticking to the rail.

Barzalona kicked at the top of the straight, but once Buick had racing room, Zakouski always looked likely to gather in Court House, which he did just inside the final furlong. In doing so, the winner completed trebles for Buick, Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. A Godolphin-bred five-year-old son of Shamardal, Zakouski was making it five wins from just eight starts and is now three times a Carnival winner after victories last year in a mile turf handicap and the Group 2 Zabeel Mile.

Buick said: “We were pretty confident coming here and, from our draw in one, I was delighted to track Mickael who carried us into the race. When I asked him he has responded really nicely and that was a very good performance. We would like to think he is still improving and will perhaps now look at Super Saturday and the Group 1 Jebel Hatta.”

O’Shea’s Group 2

The curtain raiser and only purebred Arabian race on the card, the one-mile Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah, attracted a field of 11, but, once Tadhg O’Shea sent RB Money To Burn to the front entering the home straight, there was only going to be one winner.

Saddled by Eric Lemartinel for Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan, the six-year-old mare was recording her first success since landing the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 13 months ago. She has now won four of her six starts on dirt, with a pair of turf victories from five runs on that surface.

The winning trainer said: “We have to freshen her up now with the Kahayla Classic in mind as the big target.”

Secret Protector is a name to note

A CAPACITY field of 16 faced the starter in the mile and a half turf handicap, and the Gestüt Brümmerhof-bred Star Safari, one of eight Godolphin runners in the field, snatched the spoils with a challenge that was timed to perfection by William Buick. Turning for home nearer last than first, Buick was happy to pull wide, tracked by Antonio Fresu and Away He Goes.

Nothing had an answer to Buick’s well-executed challenge and he took the lead with less than half a furlong to run. The winner is a five-year-old gelding by Sea The Stars who has now won half of his six starts and was recording a second Meydan Carnival success. He was purchased at the BBAG September Yearling Sale for €200,000 through Blandford Bloodstock.

“We were pleased with his comeback run over 10 furlongs a fortnight ago because we knew he would need it after such a long break, and hoped the extra distance would suit. William has given him a great ride and was pleased with the horse,” said Appleby.

The Meydan Trophy for three-year-olds was again dominated by Godolphin, this time supplying four of the eight runners. It was a quick double for Appleby and Buick, courtesy of the impressive Secret Protector. Settled in third by a motionless Buick, the War Front colt eased to the front a furlong and a half out and was never going to be caught.

The $800,000 Keeneland September Sale yearling was placed on his debut at Kempton in September, returning some three weeks later to the same all-weather surface to run out the comprehensive winner of a juvenile novice stakes. The switch to turf was no inconvenience, so much so that Secret Protector equalled the track record despite not being asked for a serious effort at any stage.

Buick said: “That was just his third run and he has not done anything wrong in any of them. Tonight worked out perfectly because we just wanted a straightforward performance from which he could improve which is what we had. I don’t know but perhaps we will take him back to Britain now for an early season target. He is an exciting horse.”

The curtain fell after the five-furlong turf handicap in which Sam Hitchcott and the Irish-bred Motafaawit dashed home in the second half to hit the front with a furlong remaining, running out a two and a half-length winner. A Shadwell homebred five-year-old son of Intikhab, Motafaawit is trained by Doug Watson for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum who also owns runner-up Mutaraffa, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri.

Appleby leads the way at Carnival

SHEER numbers mean that Godolphin have an unassailable lead in the race to be the leading owners at the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival. Their treble on Thursday taking their tally of victories to 11, nine ahead of their nearest challenger.

Frankie Dettori has been joined at the head of the jockeys’ table by William Buick, both riders having notched up five wins apiece. UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea is chasing them with three wins, while Pat Dobbs is the only other rider to have more than a single success.

Thursday’s three-timer for Charlie Appleby moves him on to seven wins at this year’s Carnival, followed by Saeed bin Suroor with four winners. Doug Watson joins Satish Seemar in joint-third place with three successes.

Abu Dhabi

Musabbeh Al Mheiri saddled the winner of the sole thoroughbred race on the card at Abu Dhabi last Sunday.

The concluding race on the card, it was a mile and a half handicap on turf and resulted in a blanket finish, not much separating the first four across the line.

Victory went to the David Powell-bred Good Tidings. Foaled in France, the five-year-old son of Teofilo is owned by Abdulmagid Elkout and was partnered to this win by Antonio Fresu.

This was the second win for the owner who opened his account with his first runner, Dahawi, at Jebel Ali in December.

Good Tidings was winning for the third time. Previously trained by John Gosden, the gelding won two of his first three starts as a juvenile, novice events at Newcastle and Lingfield.