Month: March 2023

Gaffalione Pilots Isolate To Front-Running Godolphin Mile Score

UAE-based trainer Doug Watson stamped his name on the $1-million Godolphin Mile (G2) for the third time at Meydan Racecourse Saturday after Isolate did as his name suggested and kept himself ahead of the pack, going wire-to-wire under  United States-based jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

The 5-year-old Mark Valeski horse broke well and hit the front with defending champion Bathrat Leon in close quarters alongside fellow Japan traveler Win Carnelian. Isolate traveled strongly and after turning for home with the least of urgings, he stretched fully to run home 5 1/2 lengths clear.

Time was 1:35.71, just off the track record of 1:35.21 set by Watson-trained One Man Band in 2016 Godolphin Mile.

Fellow UAE-trained Law Of Peace, Bhupat Seemar's charge, encountered immense traffic after a poor break yet found his way into second bravely in the hands of Richard Mullen, while Antonio Cintra's Atletico El Culano took third a further three-quarters adrift in the hands of Jose da Silva.

Bathrat Leon took fourth a further neck back for Yahagi and Ryusei Sakai, while Everfast, another trained by Watson, was fifth another head back under Oscar Chavez.

“I'm just thrilled for Sheikh Rashid (bin Humaid al Nuaimi) and the whole team at home,” Watson said. “I've been here for almost 30 years, I've progressed from being in charge of the ambulance at the first Dubai World Cup to now having winners on the night. It's quite remarkable.

“It's unbelievable, he's big and long and you saw the way he broke, he didn't shoot out of the gates–you have to ride him along. Once he gets into his stride, he's pretty amazing.

“Tyler did a great job getting him out and going, getting a nice pace on and he stays a mile, we can definitely say that now. I wasn't quite sure until he turned in and there wasn't much going with him.”

Gaffalione said: “I felt it going into the gate. He gave me this unbelievable feeling. He always breaks a step slow, but when I asked him he had so much power and the plan worked perfectly. That was amazing.

“I was supposed to ride here with Sir Winston in 2020, but obviously it didn't go ahead. I've always dreamed of winning here and to have achieved it, it's so special.”

Godolphin Mile Quotes:

Law Of Peace (2nd), jockey Richard Mullen said: “Very good after the start.”

Atletico El Culano (3rd), jockey Jose da Silva said: “So proud of him today.”

Assistant trainer Julio Olascoaga added: “He ran a great race, we're very happy for the horse & connections. Deserved a good result. Ended up being a proper miler when we always thought 2000m was his best.”

Everfast (5th), jockey Oscar Chavez said: “I couldn't be happier with the run. He tried really hard and only got tired the last 50m otherwise I think we get placed.”

Discovery Island (7th), jockey James Doyle said: “Never happy with him, never had much energy about him. He just ran a little bit flat.”

Raaeb (8th), jockey Dane O'Neill said: “He ran a solid race, we were just in a different league today.”

Desert Wisdom (9th), jockey Adrie De Vries said: “He just got shuffled back a little bit. He jumped out trying to follow the Japanese horse and then there was a bit of shuffling and I got shuffled back a few positions.”

Golden Goal (10th), jockey Sam Hitchcott said: “Wide draw did for us. Couldn't get in and the race got away on us.”

Royal Mews (12th), jockey Tadhg O'Shea said: “He never travelled really.”

Prince Eiji (13th), jockey Pat Dobbs said: “He got very upset beforehand and was never at the races today.”

Egot (14th), jockey Mickael Barzalona said: “Raced in midfield but not much to say after that.”

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Sibelius Neutralizes Switzerland In Golden Shaheen Thriller

The connections of SIBELIUS (g, 5, Not This Time–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit) have enjoyed themselves as much or more than anyone in the build-up to  the Dubai World Cup program and as night began to fall over Meydan Saturday, the chestnut just kept coming up the fence beneath Ryan Moore and dropped his head on the wire just ahead of defending champion Switzerland (Speightstown) to take the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. Drawn the fence and over a dirt surface that had been playing kind enough to front-runners, Sibelius broke well but was outfooted and raced in about fifth position while hugging the fence. Fourth as Hopkins (Quality Road), Sound Money (Flatter) and Gunite (Gun Runner) lined up at the head of the lane, Moore–who had early won the G2 Dubai Gold Cup going two miles on the grass–was relentless, pumping with his left arm while using a right-handed stick and he managed to shove Sibelius across the line first in the tightest of tight photos. Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $62,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $75,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. O-Jun H Park & Delia Nash; B-Taylor Brothers Properties LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick H. Payne et al; T-Jeremiah O'Dwyer.

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Japanese Superfecta In UAE Derby, As Mind Your Biscuits’s Derma Sotogake Romps

Japan entered five colts in the $1-million G2 UAE Derby, and they filled the first four home, as DERMA SOTOGAKE (JPN) (Mind Your Biscuits-Amour Poesie {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}) punched his ticket for the GI Kentucky Derby in May. The race was worth 100 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

The 1 3/16-mile affair featured the handsome Irish raider Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road), who garnered favouritism before the off, but it was the winner, pressed by Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who had the run of the race. Eventual third-place finisher Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) was also close up, while Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) had some traffic issues that blunted his charge.

Essentially a carrousel, Derma Sotogake extended his advantage in the stretch, and it was open lengths between him and his rivals, with Dura Erede second and another gap back to Continuar in third and Perriere fourth.

The victory marked Japan's third UAE Derby and second consecutive, after Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach The Crown {Jpn})'s heroics in 2022. Pilot Christophe Lemaire, regular pilot of G1 Dubai Turf victress Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), was along for the ride in the colours of Hiroyuki Asanuma. Hidetaka Otonashi trained the son of Amour Poesie.

 

 

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Broome Sweeps Siskany Aside for Gold Cup Glory

With the team from Japan fully expected to play a major role on Dubai World Cup day at Meydan, it was an Irish-Japanese collaboration that struck early in the card when Masaaki Matsushima and the Coolmore partners' Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) swooped late to claim the G2 Dubai Gold Cup.

The redoubtable 7-year-old is a seasoned world traveller for Aidan O'Brien. His previous five starts had come in Ireland, France, America, Hong Kong, and Qatar, but this was Broome's first appearance at Meydan, where he was tested over the the two-mile trip for only the second time. He lacked no resolve when, under a typically shrewdly-judged ride from the maestro Ryan Moore, he steadily reeled in Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who had taken up the running as his fellow Godolphin campaigner Global Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) relinquished pole position, leaving Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {GB}) in contention as the field turned for home. 

Setting a new course record of 3:16.83, Broome crossed the line just a neck in front of the Charlie Appleby-trained favourite Siskany. The 2021 Dubai Gold Cup winner Subjectivist, who was making only his second start for Charlie Johnston following an absence of more than 600 days, held on gamely for third having once again been keen in the earlier stages. Ardakan (GB) (Reliable Man {GB}) ran home well late to take fourth for Marco Botti.

With O'Brien on duty at the Curragh as the turf season got underway in Ireland, Broome's part-owner MV Magnier was at Meydan and said, “Aidan, in fairness to him, was very confident that he would get the trip and Mr Matsushima thankfully thought it was a good idea to bring him to Dubai. He's been all over the world now and he's a very genuine horse. He's been to every dance and we're lucky to have him.”

Of the Coolmore team's association with Matsushima, he added, “Hanako [Varian] and Patrick Barbe introduced us a few years ago and we've had a few horses together now. It's been very lucky; we're very honoured to have horses with him.”

Having ridden a Group 1 double in Australia last weekend, Moore continued to demonstrate his world-class credentials with an early victory on what he described as “one of the biggest nights of the year, no doubt about it.”

He continued, “It's always a pleasure to come here and it's hard to ride a winner.”

Moore added of his mount, who has now triumphed in seven group races, “He's a Group 1 winner and he has high-class form. The pace was strong and we just had to wait for a bit of room at the top of the straight. He puts his head down and he gave me everything. It's just a pleasure to ride a horse like him.

“He's done a lot of racing and he always runs his race but you're never quite sure until they come up here and do it, but he's such a brave horse and he always gives his best.”

Pedigree Notes

A full-brother to the G2 Futurity S. and Chesham S. winner Point Lonsdale (Ire), Broome was bred by Denis Brosnan's Epona Bloodstock and sold through the breeder's Croom House Stud for 150,000gns at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. Now the earner of more than £2 million in prize-money, he has raced in seven different countries.

His dam Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a Listed-winning and Group 3-placed juvenile, has produced four winners to date. Her current 3-year-old Saadiyat (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was runner-up on her only start last season for Al Shira'aa Farms and holds entries for the French Classics. The 18-year-old mare has a 2-year-old colt by Frankel (GB) and was covered again by Australia last year. 

 

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