THREE weeks out from the world’s richest race day, the $35 million Dubai World Cup, Super Saturday proved a night of memorable performances for horses hoping to earn their place on the big stage. Chief among those were one-sided victories by Godolphin’s Barney Roy in the $400,000 Group 1 Jebel Hatta, and a course record romp from the Doug O’Neill-trained Wildman Jack in the $350,000 Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.

The first Group 1 of the season was the Jebel Hatta. The nine-furlong turf contest was a showcase for the skills of trainer Charlie Appleby, as his Godolphin blue-clad team finished first, second and third, with the Excelebration six-year-old Barney Roy beating Magic Lily and Spotify. The final margin was one and three-quarter lengths, but the multiple Group 1 winner was easily the best and goes into the $6 million Group 1 Dubai Turf as one of the horses to beat. William Buick was aboard and the pair won in a new stakes record.