4th-Meydan, Cond., AED183,650, NH/SH 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:26.72, ft.
SOFT WHISPER (IRE) (f, 3, Dubawi {Ire}–Placidia {Ire}, by Sea the Stars {Ire}) gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor the trifecta in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Presented by Longines, as stablemates Last Sunset (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Final Thought (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) followed her across the wire at Meydan on Thursday. The conditions race is a pointer for the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas on Jan. 28. However, the daughter of Placidia’s task was made easier with the withdrawal of Doug Watson trainee Super Chianti (Super Saver), a winner of her only start locally on Nov. 19. All of Watson’s Thursday runners were scratched due to COVID-19 positives among his grooms the morning of Jan. 7, and the outfit is under quarantine.
One of an five of Godolphin runners in the trial, Soft Whisper missed the kick, but quickly caught up the field, before charging up to sit fifth with rivals to either side for the backstretch run. She surged up on the bend–with Last Sunset to her outside–to tackle the leader Jumeirah Beach (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in earnest, before taking command 300 metres from the line. Given a couple of reminders, she maintained her position all the way home, winning by 2 ½ lengths. Final Thought was 3 1/4 lengths behind Last Sunset in third.
Jockey Pat Cosgrave said, “I rode her in her first race at Salisbury and managed to get her beat. I ended up phoning Saeed to apologise as we thought she would win. She took a bit of time to get her act together, but has improved from each race and that was a good prep. The 1600m will suit her better and she will have learned plenty having had some dirt kicked at her.
“I could not pull her up which bodes well not only for the UAE 1000 Guineas but hopefully the UAE Oaks as well. That was a good effort.”
The third foal and first winner for her two-time winning dam Placidia (Ire), Soft Whisper is followed by a juvenile filly by Shamardal. Placidia is a half-sister to French highweight and later sire Policy Maker (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), GSW and G1 Prix du Cadran runner-up Pushkin (Ire) (Caerleon), GSW Place Rouge (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}) and to the dam of G1 Prix Ganay hero Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). This is also the same family of Classic-winning Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {Ire}), the hero of three Group 1 races, and Arc hero Peintre Celebre (Nureyev), European Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in 1997 among others. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $45,779. Click for the Racing Post chart or the VIDEO.
O/B-Godolphin (Ire). T-Saeed bin Suroor.
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