REVIEW / AL QUOZ SPRINT 30 ADIYAT RACING PLUS ISSUE 840 Thursday 4th April 2023 adiyat racing plus.com By Marcus Townend California Spangle produced a resolute effort which drew on speed and stamina as he landed the $1.5million Al Quoz Sprint in track record time. The Tony Cruz-trained six-year-old, ridden by Australia Brenton Avdulla, ended a decadelong drought for Hong Kong at the Dubai World Cup meeting to hold off the persistent challenge of Star of Mystery and win by three-quarters of a length. In doing so, the winner denied Frankie Dettori a 24th winner at the Dubai World Cup CALIFORNIA DREAMS ARE REALISED AS SPANGLE SECURES EMOTIONAL WIN meeting as he delivered his mount with what looked for a second to be a perfectly timedrun as he teamed up with trainer Charlie Appleby and his old Godolphin bosses. A further three-quarter lengths back in third was the Clive Cox-trained Diligent Harry. He posted a career-best travelling strongly deep into the race under Richard Kingscote but was just unable to find the vital extra gear demanded in the last 50m. The action unfolded on the inside rail, which has been favoured this season, with only Japanese runner Jasper Krone unsuccessfully heading to the stand’s side. The early pace was set by Ponntos and Nad Al Sheba Sprint winner Frosted At Dawn but they were both spent forces by the furlong pole, dropping tamely away. A blistering gallop was also too hot for the 2023 Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained winner Danyah who could never get close enough to land a blow as he attempted to win the race for the second successive year. Victory for California Spangle however - the only horse to defeat the world’s highestearning thoroughbred Golden Sixty in the last two years — came ten years since a memorable night when Amber Sky landed the Al Quoz and Sterling City led home a Sha Tin quinella in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. California Spangle stopped the clock in 1:07.50, lowering the 1200m track record of 1:07.61 set by Wildman Jack in the 2020 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint. Winning trainer Cruz said: “I knew it would happen sooner or later. I got this opportunity 1:07.50 NEW RECORD TIME SET BY CALIFORNIA SPANGLEFOR THE 1200M TRACK.
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