Sheikhzayedroad would likely have received a ticket on the Dubai highway for which he is named for the speed of his acceleration to win Thursday's staying feature. The bay, also a group winner in England, was recording his first win since taking Woodbine's GI Northern Dancer Turf S. in September of 2014. He had finished second on last year's Meydan Super Saturday card in the G2 Dubai City of Gold before checking in fifth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, and filled fourth on his first two appearances back in Britain: Epsom's G1 Coronation Cup and Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. Eighth and sixth-place finishes behind Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) followed in the G2 Princess of Wales's S. and G2 Goodwood Cup, and after finishing third in Chester's Listed Stand Cup he wrapped up last season with a third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, back at the scene of his greatest success in the GI Canadian International Oct. 18. Making his seasonal reappearance Thursday, Sheikhzayedroad broke prominently but dropped back along the fence as the field ran by the stands for the first time. About five lengths off the lead of the front-running 2014 G2 Dubai Gold Cup winner Certerach down the backstretch, Sheikhzayedroad swung three wide at the top of the lane and unleashed a powerful turn of foot to run down the brave pacesetter.
Jockey Martin Harley said after winning for the first time at Meydan, “he's obviously a very good horse; he didn't get rated 111 for nothing. He jumped good today and [trainer David Simcock] and I decided we wanted to be in the first half rather than the back half because I know staying races here can get very tactical. But he had a lovely sprint home in the straight and ran very well.”
Sheikhzayedroad's dam, Royal Secrets, has a 2-year-old filly by Kheleyf named Al Rowaiyah (GB) and a yearling filly by Shamardal named Umm Al Nar (GB).
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
NAD AL SHEBA TROPHY SPONSORED BY SKYCARGO-G3, $200,000, MEY, 3-3, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2810mT, 2:57.19, gd.
1–SHEIKHZAYEDROAD (GB), 126, g, 7, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Royal Secrets (Ire), by Highest Honor (Fr)
2nd Dam: Marble Maiden (GB), by Lead on Time
3rd Dam: Lastcomer, by Kris (GB)
O-Mohammed Jaber; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB);
T-David Simcock; J-Martin Harley. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
GISW-Can & GSW-Eng, 31-9-4-6, $1,019,890. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Certerach (Ire), 126, g, 8, Halling–Chartres (Ire), by Danehill.
O-Paul Rooney; B-Newberry Stud Company (IRE); T-Mick
Halford. $40,000.
3–Star Empire (SAf), 126, g, 9, Second Empire (Ire)–Lady
Maroof (NZ), by Maroof. O-Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed;
B-Sydney A Muller, F M Ratner & L M Salzman (SAF); T-Mike de
Kock. $20,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, NK, HF.
Also Ran: Battersea (GB) & Meadow Creek (GB), Tellina (SAf), Quarterback (Ger), Rio Tigre (Ire), Wasir (Ger), Paene Magnus (Ire), Zambucca (SAf), Eye In the Sky (Ire), Antinori (Ire), Respect Me (GB). Scratched: Famous Kid.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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