Dubai World Cup Day lived up to expectations with a meeting of the highest standards at Meydan Racecourse overnight, proving once again that international competition is the ultimate in any sport.
Japan’s quality shone with victories by the outstanding Equinox in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m), Derma Sotogake, who led home a Japanese 1-2-3-4 in the G2 UAE Derby (1900m), and Ushba Tesoro in the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m).
While Hong Kong’s five runners were unable to win, Sight Success and Duke Wai performed credibly by finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, behind Danyah in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) and were both within a length and a half of the winner on the line against some top sprinters.
Russian Emperor (eighth) and Senor Toba (10th) failed to make significant ground from the back as Equinox showed freakish ability in a stunning front-running display to set a new track record in the Dubai Sheema Classic, while on a night of multiple highlights, history was made when Lord North became the first horse to win the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) three times, providing Frankie Dettori with the perfect outcome on his farewell tour as Glorious Dragon finished 12th.
Aside from the equine excellence, Christophe Lemaire, Ryan Moore and Frankie stood out.
Ryan’s ride on Broome to win the G2 Dubai Gold Cup (3200m) in record-breaking time for Aidan O’Brien was tremendous, driving the horse through a narrow gap before advancing to a deserved victory, while Aidan’s management of this horse, who is a true globe-trotter who has competed in eight different countries, is also world-class.
Ryan followed up later on the card with a brilliant display on Sibelius to win the G1 Golden Shaheen (1200m, dirt). In a race decided by a millimetre, Ryan never left the fence on Sibelius to score by the narrowest margin, while Christophe showed his class with a double on Equinox and Derma Sotogake.
Our international simulcasts continue today with the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, which is run at Chukyo Racecourse over 1200m and is carded as S1-1 at 2.40pm.
The feature sprint has attracted a large field of 18 runners and the pace will be fast from the outset. Meikei Yell, who ran fifth in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint behind Wellington at Sha Tin in December, is one of four runners entered for the G1 FWD Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on 30 April, along with the highly promising Aguri, Divination and Pixie Knight, who makes his long-awaited return to the race track today.
This race last year provided a competitive finish with less than a length between the first five to finish – with all five returning to the race this year, including the winner Naran Huleg.
Namura Clair finished her three-year-old season with a fifth in the Sprinters Stakes in October and made a winning return in the G3 Silk Road at this course and distance on 29 January. Namura Clair has an outstanding race record and I make her a win and place chance despite a wide draw.
Meikei Yell was fifth in this race last year and won both her other starts at Chukyo including the G2 Centaur Stakes in September when she broke the track record. She is a place chance from gate five.
Aguri is a promising sprinter and a last-start winner of the G3 Hankyu Hai over 1400m at Hanshin on 26 February. That was Aguri’s first run at Group level and he is a place chance along with Win Marvel, who was slightly disappointing when resuming in the Silk Road behind Namura Clair but was runner-up to Gendarme in the G1 Sprinters Stakes in October at his previous run.
Pixie Knight is a high-class sprinter resuming and it will be interesting to see how he performs after an extended break from racing and I wish his connections the best of luck.
At Sha Tin this afternoon, the Shaw Alumni Handicap is carded as Race 8 at 4.40pm over 1000m for Class 3 horses with prizemoney of $1,725,000 and looms as an intriguing contest with a highly competitive field, including four last-start winners.
As always, the pace will be fast down the 1000m straight course. Cheval Valiant showed blistering pace to lead by a big margin at his last start and he should lead again from gate two, with Metro Warrior and Pleasant Endeavor also likely to be in the leading division.
Seasons Wit made an impressive debut when dashing through near the rail to take the lead in the straight over 1000m at Happy Valley on 1 March before being gunned down late by Atomic Force. He has trialled well since and with Zac Purton retaining the ride for Jamie Richards, I make Seasons Wit a win and place chance.
Talents Supremo showed significant improvement on his previous form when an unlucky fifth over this course and distance behind Run Run Cool on 11 March. Karis Teetan takes the ride for Richard Gibson and, from gate four, Talents Supremo is a place chance at good odds.
Pleasant Endeavour has an excellent record at the course and distance this season for two wins and three placings from five starts. He led and fought on well for Derek Leung at his latest run on 26 February and is a place chance again.
There are plenty of other runners with claims in an open race, including last-start winner Run Run Cool and Nicconi County, who was second in that race when having his first start down the straight course and was running on strongly at the finish.
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