Blue Point warmed up for Dubai World Cup night with an impressive performance to win the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on 'Super Saturday' at Meydan.

Godolphin’s top-class sprinter had hinted at better things to come when making a successful seasonal debut three weeks earlier, and disposed of this Group 3 opposition with the minimum of fuss ahead of the Al Quoz Sprint at the end of the month.

Log Out Island set the early pace, but the race was as good as over once William Buick brought Blue Point to make his challenge on the stands side in the final quarter-mile.

The five-year-old entire, trained by Charlie Appleby, cruised into the lead a furlong and a half out and coasted across the line three lengths clear of Ekhtiyaar, with Mazzini third.

QUICK DOUBLE

Divine Image, ridden by Brett Doyle, had taken the previous race, the Al Bastakiya, to spark a quick double for Godolphin and Appleby. Already a winner of the UAE Oaks, the Scat Daddy filly has taken well to dirt and may well take on colts in the UAE Derby.

There were two Group 1 races on Saturday's card, one on dirt and one on turf. Last year's Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow was expected to land Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge (dirt) but he was too rusty to cope with Cappezano, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer who recently returned to racing after serving a one-year ban.

Thunder Snow's trainer Saeed bin Suroor landed the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on turf with Dream Castle. A one-time classic hope who often spoiled his chance by racing too freely, the son of Frankel has learned how to race properly since being gelded. This was his third win in a row at the Carnival and he now goes for the Dubai Turf on World Cup night.

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