Godolphin's Tryster (Ire) (Shamardal) had a query over his head concerning his ability to handle the turf heading into Thursday's G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan. When the starting gates opened for that 2000 metre affair, however, it took Tryster 2:04.79 to silence his doubters as he employed an electrifying turn of foot to overcome a slow pace and win going away. Off a step slow, Tryster sat last under William Buick down the backstretch as Haafaguinea (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) reluctantly took up a lead wanted by no one and crawled through the opening stages with Meadow Creek (GB) (Dansili {GB}) anchored to his flank. It appeared briefly in the lane as if those two would capitalize on the slow fractions and steal the race; however, once Tryster got rolling down the middle of the track the race was put to bed. The bay swept by the entire field largely under a handride and won going away with ease.
“It's huge,” said Buick of the gelding's newfound affinity for the turf. “We always knew he had the ability, but now there's a lot more doors open for him. The [G1] Dubai Turf on World Cup night is an option now. I know it's back to nine furlongs but he's got so much pace and that was a very good performance from a very good horse.”
Tryster was not entirely unproven on turf prior to Thursday. He broke his maiden over that surface at second asking at Brighton in July 2014, but then went on a five-race tear on the all-weather that included wins in last year's G3 Winter Derby and Coral Easter Classic over 10 furlongs at Lingfield. Tried on the grass again in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. in May, Tryster struggled home last of five. He raised suspicions of his profile as a synthetic specialist further when rebounding to take a Chelmsford conditions race when last seen Sept. 26, but put that reputation firmly behind him Thursday and picked up a new one as a legitimate contender for the $6 million G1 Dubai Turf Mar. 26.
“On paper he had to be very competitive, it was just a question mark whether he'd show what he's done on the all-weather on the turf,” reiterated trainer Charlie Appleby. “He has done it this evening. He likes a good gallop to run at so I was a bit concerned the first furlong when they went steady, but they did that in the Easter Classic that day and that was his most impressive turn of foot we ever saw, so we're delighted.”
“Tonight's performance opens up a lot of options for him,” Appleby added. “On World Cup night the competition's going to be a little stiffer than we met this evening but he's a big confidence horse, so he'll have got a lot of confidence again tonight. We'll see how he comes out of it but we'll maybe take a look at the [G1] Jebel Hatta [Mar. 5] or go straight for the Dubai Turf. He's a horse we can hopefully look forward to a nice summer ahead with as well.”
Tryster's dam is a half-sister to G1 2000 Guineas winner Harayir (Gulch). His third dam is the G1 Irish Oaks winner Give Thanks (GB) (Relko {GB}).
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI MILLENNIUM S. SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G3, $200,000, MEY, 2-18, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:04.79, gd.
1–TRYSTER (IRE), 127, g, 5, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Min Alhawa, by Riverman
2nd Dam: Saffaanh, by Shareef Dancer
3rd Dam: Give Thanks (GB), by Relko (GB)
(150,000gns Ylg '12 TAOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Herbertstown
House Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 11-8-0-1, $493,580.
*1/2 to Mutasallil (Gone West), SP-UAE, $245,357; and Ajhar
(Diesis {GB}), GSP-Eng & SP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Haafaguinea (GB), 127, g, 6, Haafhd (GB)–Ha'penny Beacon
(GB), by Erhaab. (30,000gns Ylg '11 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Rashid
Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Bishop Wilton Stud (GB); T-Saeed bin
Suroor. $40,000.
3–Meadow Creek (GB), 127, h, 5, Dansili (GB)–Gentle On My
Mind (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (160,000 HRA '15 ARNOV).
O-Royal Cavalry Oman; B-Nawara Stud Company Ltd (GB);
T-Doug Watson. $20,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NK, NK. Also Ran: Sanshaawes (SAf), Belgian Bill (GB), Zamaam (GB), Tellina (SAf), Earnshaw, Vale Do Sol (Ire), Zambucca (Saf). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
