SOLDIER SALUTED EVEN AS A PRINCE BATTLED TO A VALIANT SUCCESS

Meydan Racecourse staged the second fixture of the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday evening, seven races, all for Thoroughbreds, highlighted by the Group 2 Al Rashidiya, over 1800m on turf and won for a seventh consecutive renewal by Godolphin. For Charlie Appleby, James Doyle and Valiant Prince landed the spoils, leading home the same owner’s Dubai Future, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and his own stablemate Ottoman Fleet to give Godolphin a 1-2-3.

Doyle said: “This was a big step forward from what he has achieved, both here at Meydan and in the UK. I was a bit worried on the bend with a bit of traffic to deal with so the front two stole an initiative but that probably suited him as it turned out. Once we found daylight he picked up well and he is growing up mentally which he probably needed to do if he was to fulfil his undoubted potential.”

The opening 1600m dirt handicap developed into a duel over the final 300m with early leader Down On Da Bayou responding gallantly to the urgings of Mickael Barzalona only to be denied right on the line by Royal Mews, partnered by Tadhg O’Shea for Bhupat Seemar and Deva Racing. The Al Wasl Stakes, a 1200m turf conditions contest for 3yos, proved basically to be a one horse race with Mickael Barzalona and Al Dasim powering clear in the final 300m to provide trainer George Boughey a first UAE winner at just the second attempt.

It was a second local success for owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah from nine runners. Also for 3yos but over 1400m on dirt, the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial provided Barzalona a rapid double, probably never headed aboard Tiger Nation who proved a class apart from his seven rivals for Salem bin Ghadayer and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

A new conditions race this year for fillies and mares, the 1400m Ipi Tombe Stakes was dominated by Godolphin, Saeed bin Suroor saddling the 1-2 with Danny Tudhope and Soft Whisper thwarting a brave attempt from stable companion White Moonlight to make all under Pat Cosgrave. Also a welcome addition to the carnival roster and a conditions contest, the Thunder Snow Stakes, over the same 2000m on dirt as the Dubai World Cup, won twice by the Godolphin star recognised in the race title, was won stylishly by Salute The Soldier, soon at the head of affairs and with the race in safekeeping early in the straight under Adrie de Vries in the colours of Victorious for Fawzi Nass.

Over the same trip but on turf, the concluding 1600m handicap went to Electrical Storm, a third winner on the card for Godolphin, second for both Bin Suroor and Tudhope. The blue silks continue to thrive on the turf.

RESULTS

1. Royal Mews
2. Al Dasim
3. Tiger Nation
4. Soft Whisper
5. Valiant Prince
6. Salute The Soldier
7 Electrical Storm