A frustrating trip to Chicago, when a freak injury ruled Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) out of last August's GI Arlington Million, will be long forgotten by the horse's connections after the 5-year-old delivered deserved compensation with his first win at the highest level in the G1 Jebel Hatta.
Andrea Atzeni had earlier endured a nightmare run on Postponed in the G2 Dubai City of Gold when boxed in and unable to make his run until it was too late, and for several strides it looked as if luck had turned against him again as Decorated Knight turned into the stretch with five horses in front of him and wasn't instantly able to find space to mount a challenge.
Eventually working his way off the rail and into the clear, the Roger Charlton-trained stallion stretched out impressively down the centre of the track to reel in early leader Folkswood (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), gaining the upper hand by a neck. The same distance separated the first four home, with Muffri'Ha (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) taking third and Sanshaawes (SAf) (Ashaawes) fourth.
Decorated Knight is now unbeaten in his last three starts, including last year's G3 Meld S. at Leopardstown and his comeback run in the Listed Winter Derby Trial in February.
“He's got a good turn of foot, he showed that at Lingfield, and he picked up well at the end,” said Atzeni. “He had a good draw, he jumped good, travelled well into the race with one clear run on the outside. He saw the trip out well, that was great.”
The winner will head next to the G1 Dubai Turf on March 26.
Pedigree notes
Homebred by the Derby-winning team of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar at their Blue Diamond Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket, Decorated Knight is the first foal of Giant's Causeway's sister Pearling (Storm Cat), a 1.3 million gns purchase by Tony Nerses at the Tattersalls December Sale of 2011.
It's a family that has hardly been out of the news in recent seasons. Another full-sibling to Pearling, You'resothrilling, was herself winner of the G2 Cherry Hinton S. and G3 Swordlestown Stud Sprint S. in 2007 and has gone on to produce the Classic winners Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire), as well as Group 3 winner Coolmore (Ire), all by Galileo (Ire). Pearling's half-sister Butterflies (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was Group 3-placed last year and holds entries for the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Oaks.
As for Pearling, her once-placed 4-year-old colt Azizaan (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has, like Decorated Knight, moved from the stable of Roger Varian to Roger Charlton. Her 3-year-old filly Ambrosia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remains with Roger Varian and she has a 2-year-old colt by Dansili. The 11-year-old produced a dead foal by Galileo last year.
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
JEBEL HATTA SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G1, $300,000, MEY, 3-4, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 9fT, 1:49.95, gd.
1–&@DECORATED KNIGHT (GB), 126, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Pearling, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Mariah's Storm, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Immense, by Roberto
O/B-Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar (GB); T-Roger Charlton;
J-Andrea Atzeni. $180,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & MGSP-
Eng, GSP-Ire, 12-6-3-1, $364,129. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Folkswood (GB), 126, g, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Magic
Nymph (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (160,000gns yrl '14 TAOOCT) O-
Godolphin; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-Charlie
Appleby. $60,000.
3–Muffri'Ha (Ire), 121, m, 5, Iffraaj (GB)–Grecian Dancer (GB),
by Dansili (GB). (85,000gns HRA '13 TAOOCT) O-Sheikh Juma
Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Lodge Park Stud (IRE); T-William
Haggas. $30,000.
Margins: NK, NK, NK.
Also Ran: Sanshaawes (SAf), Earnshaw, Light the Lights (SAf), Promising Run, Epsom Icon (GB), Elliptique (Ire), Elleval (Ire), Roi de Vitesse (Ire). Also Ran (DNF): Ertijaal (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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