Dubai World Cup Carnival
2019's breakout 9 1/2-length G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 victor Capezzano (Bernardini) makes his first appearance of 2020 for Sultan Ali and trainer Salem bin Ghadayer in the 1600-metre G3 Firebreak S. at Meydan. One of three in the event for bin Ghadayer on Thursday, the 6-year-old gelding ran a puzzling 12th when favoured in the G1 Dubai World Cup at the end of March and aims to bounce back in this warm up for the inaugural Feb. 29 $20-million Saudi Cup, before a possible start in the $12-million G1...
Two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O'Neill made the ground-breaking move of sending a string of around a dozen horses to train at Meydan and tackle the three-month Dubai World Cup Carnival this season, and the Southern California-based conditioner got off the mark in the desert on Thursday when Fore Left (Twirling Candy) went gate to wire in the one-mile G3 UAE 2000 Guineas. Fore Left carries the colours of Paul Reddam, who also owned both of O'Neill's Derby winners, I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) and Nyquist (Uncle Mo). Fastest...
Gladiator King has proven a shrewd purchase by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the 4-year-old son of Curlin now two-for-two in Dubai, having added victory in Thursday's G3 Al Shindagha Sprint to his score in the G3 Dubawi S. on opening night of the carnival on Jan. 2. Gladiator King was previously trained by Jaime Mejia in the U.S., and he won a key U.S. 3-year-old sprinting contest, the GIII Hutcheson S., last winter before finishing a head second in the GIII Chick Lang S. on the Preakness undercard....
2017 G1 St James's Palace S. hero Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) makes his Dubai debut in the grassy G2 Al Rashidiya over 1800 metres at Meydan on Thursday, as the Dubai World Cup Carnival takes another step toward Super Saturday and then Dubai World Cup night itself. One of four in the race for Godolphin, the Charlie Appleby-trained gelding who made an abortive attempt at stud in 2018, won the Listed Prix de Montretout at ParisLongchamp last May. He was a last out eighth in the G1 Queen Anne...
The Dubai World Cup Carnival steps up a notch on Thursday, as the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, the prep for the Feb. 20 G3 UAE Oaks, goes as the second race on the card. Nine 3-year-old fillies stand their ground with four hailing from the Godolphin yards led by G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. third Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Saeed bin Suroor. The bay easily won the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial conditions race over 1400 metres by 1 3/4 lengths on Jan....
Certain Lad provided the UK with a victory during the third night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on Thursday when taking the Listed Zabeel Turf H. over 2000 metres for trainer Mick Channon. It was in fact a European one-two, with Mick Halford's Simsir closing late for second. Certain Lad flashed promise at two, winning his first two starts before finishing third in G2 Railway S. at The Curragh. He picked up a listed win in the fall going a mile Lyon Parilly, and was gelded after finishing sixth...
Magic Lily (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), third in the G1 Fillies' Mile as a juvenile, made good on her early promise with a narrow victory over Team Valor International's Nisreen (Ire) (Raven's Pass) in the G2 Cape Verde at Meydan on Thursday. The Charlie Appleby runner bore the Godolphin blue silks in the one-mile contest under pilot James Doyle, who, along with Appleby, were winning their third Cape Verde. The 5-year-old completed the Cape Verde in a new stakes and track record-setting time of 1:34.84. Sent straight to the head...
Mick Halford is a familiar face at Meydan, with a victory in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup in 2014 with Paul Rooney's Certerach (Ire) (Halling) being among his highlights, and the Kildare-based trainer gets his 2020 carnival season underway on Thursday with a pair of stakes runners at Meydan. The lightly raced 4-year-old Simsir (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) lines up with a shot in the Listed Zabeel Turf, although he will have to see off last season's G1 Jebel Hatta winner Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) among 10 rivals. The Aga...
The G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, run over a mile on the Meydan main track was a nailbiter, but Kimbear (Temple City) got his head down on the line where it counted, winning a three-way photo over GSW Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Group 1 winner North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Racing in the rear of the main pack against the fence as Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) showed the way initially, the Doug Watson colourbearer began to improve as North America took over, with...
Godolphin Group 1 winners Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) square off in Thursday's grassy 1800-metre G2 Singspiel S., as the Dubai World Cup Carnival enters its second week. Eight races (seven Thoroughbred) are on tap at Meydan. Bearing the coveted blue cap and with Christophe Soumillon in the irons, the former won the 2018 edition of this contest during a profitable Meydan campaign that season, including the G1 Dubai Turf that March. He also took his show on the road with other Group 1 wins...