Dansili’s Dormello Takes Abu Dhabi Feature

Sunday, Abu Dhabi, UAE 
ABU DHABI CHAMPIONSHIP-G3, AED400,000, Abu Dhabi, 3-15, NH4yo/up & SH 3yo/up, 2200mT, 2:13.50, gd. 
1–@DORMELLO (IRE), 125, h, 7, by Dansili (GB) 
     1st Dam: Field of Hope (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, SW & GSP-Ity & GSP-HK, $490,647), by Selkirk 
     2nd Dam: Fracci (GB), by Raise A Cup 
     3rd Dam: Fancy Walk (GB), by Tower Walk (GB) 
(€210,000 RNA yrl ‘09 ARQAUG) O-Sheikh Ahmed 
bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Grundy Bloodstock SRL; 
T-Dhruba Selvaratnam; J-Oisin Murphy. 
AED240,000. Lifetime Record: MSW-Fr, 27-6-2-4. 
*1/2 to Olympian Odyssey (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), 
G1SP-Eng, $189,358; Ransom Hope (GB) (Red 
Ransom), MSW & GSP-Ity, $333,359; and Field of 
Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Eng & Ity, 
$524,519. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the 
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Sanshaawes (SAf), 125, g, 5, Ashaawes–Vicario 
(SAf), by Northern Guest. O-Sheikh Ahmed bin 
Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum; B-Oldlands 
Stud. T-Mike de Kock. AED80,000 
3–Vaasa (Ire), 125, c, 4, Dalakhani (Ire)–La Sylphide 
(Swi), by Barathea (Ire). O-Sultan Ali; B-Darley; 
T-Ahmad bin Harmash. AED40,000. 
Margins: HF, 1, NO. 
Also Ran: Antinori (Ire), Ducab (Ire), Zamaam (Ire), More Aspen, Derbaas, Yaseer (Ire), Anahita (Fr), Tinghir (Ire), Ottoman Empire (Fr), Indiana Jones (Arg). 
Dormello, a dual stakes winner in France during the early part of his career, earned his first group score and handed jockey Oisin Murphy the opening leg of a feature-race double when scoring here. Dormello experienced a rather rusty start to his campaign, warming up at Jebel Ali late last year with a pair of well-beaten fourths, and the turning of the calendar didn’t appear to help, as he checked in a distant eighth in that dirt track’s Listed Jebel Ali S. Jan. 9. He perked up a bit when fifth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, in a Meydan handicap three weeks later, and put it all together to score by 4 1/4 lengths last out at Jebel Ali Feb. 20. Biding his time through the early stages of this turf contest, Dormello was produced by Murphy with about 200 meters to run and nailed the pacesetting Sanshaawes on the line. 
“This has been a lucky race for us over the years,” said trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam. “We were very hopeful of a big run after he won well at Jebel Ali on his previous start. Oisin has given him a very good, confident ride. Hopefully the horse will get an invitation to the [G1] Dubai Sheema Classic and be able to run on World Cup night.”