JAMES Doyle can have few quibbles with the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival.

After a treble at the opening meeting, he took his tally to four when, aboard Charlie Appleby’s progressive five-year-old Valiant Prince, he led home a Godolphin 1-2-3 in yesterday’s feature, the £150,000 Group 2 Al Rashidiya.

A son of Dubawi and the Leopardstown Group 1 Matron Stakes winner Chachamaidee, Valiant Prince had a productive 2022, winning twice at Meydan and capturing a listed race at York in June. All his wins to date have been over a mile, but this first effort over nine furlongs produced a career-best performance, and he looks set for a rewarding season ahead.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dubai Future will surely find a winning opportunity at this year’s Carnival. He has been successful at the last three, and this trip was possibly a little on the sharp side for him. He was half a length behind the winner. The Appleby-trained Ottoman Fleet, the mount of William Buick, was third, a further half a length back.

The David Marnane-trained Freescape was never a threat to the leading trio, but finished a neck in front of Michael O’Callaghan’s Fastnet Crown, the pair occupying fifth and sixth places in the 11-strong field.

First running

The first running of the £125,000 Ipi Tombe Stakes over seven furlongs on turf saw Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor stablemates Soft Whisper and White Moonlight fight out the finish. The former got a soft lead but was soon overtaken by White Moonlight. The positions remained the same until Danny Tudhope launched his winning challenge a furlong and a half from home. The outsider Samedi Rien was a fast-finishing third.

A dual listed winner last year in Britain, Soft Whisper has not been seen since winning at Ascot in October. The daughter of Dubawi won the UAE 1000 Guineas two years ago.

The £125,000 Thunder Snow Challenge over a mile and a quarter on dirt provided Salute The Soldier with a perfect opportunity to announce that he was back to form. Out of sorts last season and off the track since March, the former Group 1 winner at Meydan was never going to be caught and he was a comfortable winner from Atletico El Culano, who came with a rattling run to snatch second place.

Strong claim

Tiger Nation staked a strong claim to classic honours when he won the £50,000 UAE 2000 Guineas Trial, a seven-furlong conditions race on dirt. Victory came less than two weeks since he impressed on his debut over six furlongs at Jebel Ali. A son of Tamarkuz, he cost connections $110,000 last May and clearly has plenty of ability.

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, the colt was once again partnered by Royston Ffrench. Next stop will surely be the UAE 2000 Guineas.

Denied on his first start of the season over nine and a half furlongs at Meydan in November, the Bhupat Seemar-trained Royal Mews made amends in the opener at the same track yesterday. He was back to a mile in the £62,500 Azizi Mina Handicap on dirt, a trip he won over last year, and the six-year-old and Down On Da Bayou served up a thriller.

O’Shea’s opener

On the line, Royal Mews just got up under Irishman Tadhg O’Shea to deny the mare, and the pair had the rest some six and a half lengths and more in arrears. A winner over 10 furlongs for Godolphin when with John Gosden, the son of Siyouni was bred by Meon Valley Stud and now carries the colours of Deva Racing.

Comfortable win

Twice successful on the all-weather before making his Meydan debut, the Skymarc Farms-bred Al Dasim reverted to turf and ran out a comfortable winner of the £50,000 Al Wasl Stakes over six furlongs. This was a fourth career win for the Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah-owned son of Harry Angel who is trained by George Boughey.

Mickael Barzalona tracked the leaders until two out, and he was never in danger once he made his final challenge. This was a first Carnival winner for Boughey who had a sensational year in 2022 when he won the 1000 Guineas with Cachet. Al Dasim was a £50,000 yearling buy at Goffs UK by his Kuwaiti owner.

Godolphin rounded off another successful meeting when Electrical Storm emphasised his good form with victory in the concluding £62,500 Azizi Riviera Handicap over a mile. He was following up his win in a conditions race on turf over 10 furlongs at the track, the Nad Al Sheba Classic, just before Christmas.

Danny Tudhope was in the saddle on the six-year-old Dubawi gelding who is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. The Godolphin homebred was recording his third win in 14 starts.