G2 Blue Point Sprint

Friday, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, post time: 20:25, AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE-G1, AED3,680,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1900m Field: Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Artorious (Arrogate), Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Kabirkhan (Calilfornia Chrome), Killer Collect (Collected), Masmak (Vino Rosso). TDN Analysis: Walk Of Stars held Imperial Emperor to second in last year's edition for trainer Bhupat Seemar who saddles six here. Those two both step forward again, while Seemar stablemate Kabirkhan exploded to a 4...

Never tried in stakes company prior to Friday's 1000-metre AED850,000 G2 Blue Point Sprint presented by Longines, West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) skipped home a good-looking winner. The Michael Blencowe-owned 3-year-old gelding steamed past  Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Cover Up (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) lost second by only a nose. The final time was :55.38, a new course record. Ponntos leaped straight to the head of affairs and was moving well for much of this but began to look vulnerable inside the final...

by Heather Anderson & Alan Carasso Something of an unknown commodity when he arrived from Kazakhstan into the Dubai yard of Doug Watson a little over a year ago, Kabirkhan (California Chrome) announced his arrival on the world racing scene with a barnstorming victory in the 2024 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge (1900m) at Meydan. The flashy chestnut, who bears a striking resemblance to his G1 Dubai World Cup-winning sire, returns for the first time since disappointing in last year's $12-million feature and squares off against an internationally flavoured group. Sent...

Just two races after her half-brother Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) won the G2 Al Fahidi Fort, Godolphin's STAR OF MYSTERY (GB) (f, 3, Kodiac {GB}--Mistrusting {Ire}, by Shamardal) picked up strongly in the closing stages to take the AED850,000 G2 Blue Point Sprint Presented by Longines by 1 3/4 lengths. Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) ran second, with Tajalla (Ire) (Kessaar {Ire}) a neck back in third. The race was delayed for several minutes when both Tajalla and Thunder Of Niagara (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) broke through the...

by Alan Carasso & Heather Anderson Trainer Chad Summers knows the nooks and crannies of Meydan, having saddled Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) to victories in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2017 and again in 2018. With Dubai World Cup just a couple of months down the road, the horseman is back in the Emirates for Friday's newly upgraded G1 Al Maktoum Challenge-R2 and is in with a big chance in the form of RRR Racing's Clapton (Brethren). The Florida-bred 5-year-old was acquired privately by these connections last summer and...

The 2022 G2 Blue Point Sprint hero Lazuli (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is back to defend his title for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby over this minimum trip on grass. Worth $180,000, the Blue Point is the 6-year-old gelding's second run of the season after defeating Man Of Promise (Into Mischief) in the Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash on opening day of the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival. "Lazuli is tried and tested over five furlongs at Meydan and this is his optimum trip," said Appleby. "He is in great form and, even...

Trainer Nigel Tinkler was upbeat after his Group 1-placed Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) finished second to Lazuli (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Blue Point Sprint at Meydan on Friday. Placed in three starts during last year's Dubai World Cup Carnival, including a third-place effort in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, he never factored in York's Listed Westow S. in May. He tired to 10th in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot and was given some time off prior to his reappearance in the UAE. Starts in...

'Express' Hoping For a Rebound in Blue Point Sprint The 1000-metre G2 Blue Point Sprint features the return of Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who was a good second in the Mar. 6 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint last year and third in the Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Off the board in two races when returning to the UK including a 10th in the June 15 G1 King's Stand S., the bay appears after a lengthy break and trainer Nigel Tinkler is hoping for a reversal of...