Course and distance specialist Ertijaal (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) justified his position as the early favourite for the Mar. 31 G1 Al Quoz Sprint with a score in Thursday's G3 Meydan Sprint, but Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) put in a bold late showing to suggest he will be a serious threat when the distance is upped a furlong for the Al Quoz. Ertijaal tracked fellow Sheikh Hamdan representative Fityaan (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) through the opening three furlongs, but took up the running as they joined the course proper with Blue Point right on his heels. Asked to stretch by Jim Crowley passing the 400, Ertijaal lengthened and briefly looked as if he would outclass his four rivals, but he wandered to the inside rail as Blue Point began to wind up under William Buick. Blue Point ran the margin down to a neck on the line but Ertijaal stuck on bravely.
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
MEYDAN SPRINT (SPONSORED BY DISTRICT ONE GREENERY STRETCH)-G2, $175,000, MEY, 2-22, NH3yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1000mT, :56.56, gd.
1–ERTIJAAL (IRE), 126, g, 7, by Oasis Dream (GB)
1st Dam: Shabiba (SW & GSP-Eng), by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Misterah (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire)
3rd Dam: Jasarah (Ire), by Green Desert
(110,000gns wnl '14 TATNOV; 200,000gns yrl '15 TATOCT)
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate
Company Ltd (IRE); T-Ali Rashid Al Rayhi; J-Jim Crowley.
$105,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-UAE at 5-7f,
SW-Eng, MG1SP-UAE, 21-11-2-2, $1,234,954. *1/2 to Odooj
(Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Blue Point (Ire), 126, c, 4, Shamardal–Scarlett Rose (GB), by
Royal Applause (GB). O-Godolphin; B-Oak Lodge Bloodstock
(IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. $35,000.
3–Hit the Bid (GB), 126, c, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Selinka
(GB), by Selkirk. (40,000gns yrl '15 TAOOCT) O-Straight To
Victory Syndicate; B-W & R Barnett (GB); T-Darren Bunyan.
$17,500.
Margins: HD, 3 1/4, 4HF.
Also Ran: Out Do (GB), Fityaan (GB). Scratched: Sir Maximilian (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
A fixture at this carnival over the last four years since joining local champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, Ertijaal made little noise until 2016, when he was kept exclusively to the minimum distance. After winning a pair of handicaps he was second by three-quarters of a length to Australian star Buffering (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) in the Al Quoz Sprint when it was contested over 1000 metres, and after Ertijaal won both starts at the trip at last year's carnival, including this race, connections must have been dismayed that the trip of the Al Quoz was increased. He finished third last year, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by The Right Man (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), and got this campaign going with a win on Jan. 11.
Pedigree Notes…
Ertijaal is the lone stakes winner out of the G3 Oak Tree S. and Sandringham H. third Shabiba (Seeking The Gold), who has also produced the listed runner-up Odooj (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Shabiba is herself a daughter of the G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Misterah (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}).
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