Tag: dubai

“He Was Impressive” – Tower Of London All Class In Dubai Gold Cup

Class came to the fore in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup as Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran out an authoritative winner for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

A brother to St Leger hero Capri (Ire), Tower Of London came into the Group 2 contest at Meydan off the back of a cheeky victory in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. in Saudi Arabia.

Tower Of London built on that victory to post a career best at odds of 2-1, storming home from the rear to run out two lengths too strong for 80-1 shot Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) just over a length further behind in third.

Moore said, “He was better again again. The pace slackened up down the back [straight] and I had to move him forward but he quickened up very well. He was impressive.”

Tower Of London's victory represented the perfect start at Meydan for O'Brien and Moore, who had Auguste Rodin to look forward to in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic later on the card.

All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the G2 Hardwick S. rather than the G1 Gold Cup could be the plan.

O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the [G1] Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”

Pedigree Notes

Tower Of London's dam Dialafara (Fr) (Anabaa), who was a €175,000 purchase from The Aga Khan Studs' draft at the 2010 Arqana December Mixed Sale, was exclusively bred to Galileo until the giant's passing and now has a resulting 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB). She has proven remarkable value for that price tag, producing the G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire), the G3 Loughbrown S. winner Cypress Creek (Ire) and the G3 Stanerra S. winner Passion (Ire) who was also third in the G1 Irish Oaks, the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. Her daughter Sovereign Parade (Ire) is in turn responsible for the G1 Fillies Mile and G2 Rockfel S. heroine Commissioning (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while she also threw a Cheltenham Festival winner in Brazil (Ire) for good measure.

Dialafara is out of the G2 Prix de Malleret winner and G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Diamilina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), a half-sister to the sire Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert) who was runner-up in the G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. She is also connected to the G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer (Ire) (Halling).

 

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI GOLD CUP SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, AED1,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:17.29, gd.
1–TOWER OF LONDON (IRE), 122, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Dialafara (Fr), by Anabaa
                2nd Dam: Diamilina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Diamonaka, by Akarad (Fr)
   TDN Rising Star. O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier, M
Tabor,Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud (IRE);
T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. $580,000. Lifetime Record:
GSW-Sau, SW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 10-5-1-0, $2,869,593. *Full to
Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Euro at 14f+, Hwt. 3yo-Ire
at 11-14f & 14f+, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Eng
at 14f+, G1SW-Ire & Eng, G1SP-Fr, $2,067,692; Cypress Creek
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, $102,373; and Passion
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $200,604. Click
   for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk
   Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Al Nayyir (GB), 128, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Bright Beacon (GB), by
Manduro (Ger). (UAE40,000 HRA '21 ERASEP). O-Elbashir
Salem AB Elhrari; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Georges Doleuze.
$200,000.
3–Trawlerman (Ire), 128, g, 6, Golden Horn (GB)–Tidespring
(Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady
Gosden. $100,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, SHD.
Also Ran: Siskany (GB), Giavellotto (Ire), Sevenna's Knight (Ire), Enemy (GB), Iron Barows (Jpn), Sober (Fr), Passion And Glory (Ire), Libyan Glass (Jpn), Coltrane (Ire), Roberto Escobarr (Ire), Daramethos (Ire), Sea Stone (Ire). Scratched: Eldar Eldarov (GB).
Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the Hardwick rather than the Gold Cup could be the plan.

O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”

The post “He Was Impressive” – Tower Of London All Class In Dubai Gold Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Japan’s Big Guns Take To the Meydan Turf

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — In the form of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Japan is liable to field the favourites for the distance turf races at Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting and those two gallopers, as well as several of their compatriots, did fast work over the Meydan course Wednesday morning.

Do Deuce would likely have been at the top of the markets for last year's G1 Dubai Turf, but was withdrawn in the days leading up to the race, helping pave the way for a third consecutive victory by Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The reigning G1 Arima Kinen scorer was one of the first onto the track just after 5am Wednesday morning and quickened up nicely down the stretch (see below).

Though he clearly possesses the scope to see out a longer trip, connections have instead chosen the nine-furlong distance of the Dubai Turf.

“I considered the Sheema Classic as well and we discussed it with Yutaka Take,” trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said during a Wednesday press conference. “The Sheema Classic tends to be a race which benefits the front-runners or those with a good position. For Do Deuce's racing style, we both agreed that the Dubai Turf is a race where horses can win from anywhere.”

 

 

Japanese gallopers have won five of the last nine renewals of the Dubai Turf, including Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who dead-heated with Lord North in 2022. The Tomomichi-trained Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was victorious in 2017 with Joao Moreira up.

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) have scooped the last two renewals of the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, and Liberty Island has her claims to make it three on the trot and six overall, dating back to Stay Gold (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2001.

Last seen finishing five lengths adrift of Equinox and just ahead of fellow G1 Yushun Himba heroine Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G1 Japan Cup in late November, Liberty Island wasn't asked for much, but ran on nicely Wednesday morning, with Yuga Kawada along for the ride.

“This is her first time travelling internationally and all has gone well so far,” said Kawada. “It was a good gallop this morning and we are happy.”

Added stable representative Yuya Katayama: “Everything went perfectly and according to plan. She switched on when Yuga Kawada rode her today. Today was just about keeping her condition, that's it–nothing more.”

Christophe Lemaire teamed up once again with Stars on Earth, second in the Arima Kinen last time, and said: “I gradually sped up in her breeze this morning. She remained calm throughout and reacted very well. Her condition is great and the ground in Dubai suits her. Stars On Earth is a very easy horse to ride and I am confident about her this weekend.”

Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who beat the boys in the G1 Mile Championship and was third to Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and the re-opposing Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, prepped for the Dubai Turf when galloping over 600 metres behind Liberty Island and Stars on Earth.

Shahryar also had a turf gallop as he looks for a second Sheema Classic in three years, as did Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), runner-up in last year's Dubai Turf. Cristian Demuro rides Shahryar, while Moreira has a return assignment aboard Danon Beluga.

 

 

The post Japan’s Big Guns Take To the Meydan Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Star-Studded Fields Announced For Dubai World Cup Meeting

Five returning champions and one previous champion highlight the prospective fields for the Dubai World Cup meeting to be held at sprawling Meydan Racecourse in Dubai Saturday, Mar. 30. The connections of 106 horses from no fewer than 12 racing jurisdictions have accepted invitations to the eight Thoroughbred races on a $30.5-million program that begins with the $1-million Dubai Kahayla Classic for the Purebred Arabians and concludes with the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup.

The main event has attracted a field of 15 that is led by its defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), one of 24 runners set to ship in from Japan for the meeting. Looking to become the first 7-year-old World Cup winner since Gloria de Campeao (Brz) back in 2010 and just the third overall, the recent G1 Saudi Cup runner-up is joined by three compatriots, including last year's G2 UAE Derby hero Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits). The American challenge numbers five and is topped by Saudi Cup upsetter Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and GI Santa Anita H. hero Newgate (Into Mischief) for four-time World Cup winner Bob Baffert, while the exciting Kabirkhan (California Chrome) has been the talking horse of the Dubai International Racing Carnival and the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge victor will have his supporters to become a first World Cup winner for perennial leading trainer Doug Watson. Laurel River (Into Mischief) won the G3 Burj Nahaar over a mile on Super Saturday Mar. 2, but opts for the World Cup over the Godolphin Mile for trainer Bhupat Seemar.

The $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, won in imperious fashion by Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) last March, was the second highest-rated race in the world in 2023, and if the field assembled for this renewal is any indication, it could go one better. A likely field of 12 has been revealed, fully 10 of which have succeeded at Group 1 level, and features a mouth-watering clash between G1 Betfred Derby, G1 Irish Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Japan is also represented by 2022 Sheema Classic victor Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is set to make her first appearance beyond the borders of the UK and is one of four on the evening for John and Thady Gosden. Godolphin sends out Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), impressive in taking out the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar last month.

Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) also represents the Clarehaven operation as he goes in search of an unprecedented fourth victory in a row in the G1 Dubai Turf, where he squares off with G1 Arima Kinen hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), the would-be 2023 favourite who was scratched leading up to the race. Also in the field is Lord North's hard-knocking stable companion Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}); Godolphin's progressive G1 Jebel Hatta winner Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}); treble elite-level scorer Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for Aidan O'Brien; and Hong Kong's Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), victorious in this year's G1 Stewards Cup at Sha Tin.

Godolphin's Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will look to avenge a tough defeat in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup, where he'll surely face a stiff challenge from recent G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. winner Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and runner-up Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}); G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup conqueror Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}); and G2 Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {GB}).

Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) proved a somewhat unlikely winner of the 2023 G1 Al Quoz Sprint for local trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri and will have to dig deep if he is to defend against the Jamie Osborne-trained veteran Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), a recent winner in Qatar; the nails-tough US raider Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed); Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), so game up the rail to scoop the G2 1351 Turf Sprint Feb. 24; Hong Kong's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup winner California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}); and the 3-year-old fillies Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Frost At Dawn (Frosted).

America's Sibelius (Not This Time) will have Ryan Moore back in the saddle as he defends his title in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen against the likes of G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner Remake (Jpn) (Lani) and the locally trained Tuz (Oxbow), while Isolate (Mark Valeski) is certain to face a strong challenge from Saudi Cup close third-placegetter Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who drops back in trip for the G2 Godolphin Mile.

The G2 UAE Derby features a budding star in the form of the Yoshito Yahagi-conditioned Forever Young (Jpn), a son of 2016 Dubai Turf hero Real Steel (Jpn), whose undefeated run includes a razor-thin victory in the 1600-metre G3 Saudi Derby Feb. 24. G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn) and Listed Al Bastakiya S. scorer Killer Collect (Collected) front the local challenge, while Ballydoyle is set to be represented by G3 Tyros S. winner Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never). The Derby offers 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Click here for the full fields.

The post Star-Studded Fields Announced For Dubai World Cup Meeting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sibelius Preps For Golden Shaheen Defense At Palm Meadows

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) breezed a half-mile in an easy :49 flat at Palm Meadows the morning of Mar. 5 as he builds up to a defense of his title in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 30.

Trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer was in the irons for the move aboard the 6-year-old, who–like last year–enters the Golden Shaheen after winning the GIII Mr. Prospector S. at Gulfstream Dec. 23 and the Feb. 10 Pelican S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He went very well and he did everything we were looking for,” the conditioner said. “He did a nice half in :49 with a nice gallop out. The track was in good condition after getting some rain the day before. He breezed very nicely and we're very pleased.”

After just outbattling 2022 Golden Shaheen hero Switzerland (Speightstown) and Gunite (Gun Runner) last March, Sibelius failed to shine in three subsequent appearances before bouncing back to his best form this winter.

“It might be this time of year, it might be that the trip over there took a little bit more out of him than we anticipated,” O'Dwyer offered when asked about the gelding's turnaround. “There are so many variables and factors, it's really hard to pinpoint it.”

Tyler Gaffalione rode Sibelius to his neck success in the Pelican, but O'Dwyer has once again enlisted the services of Ryan Moore for this year's Golden Shaheen.

“Ryan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table,” O'Dwyer said. “He leaves no stone unturned, he knows every horse he rides inside and out. He can relate to the trainer and the horse very well. As a friend of mine told me once, I don't think there's a horse that hasn't been born yet that Ryan Moore doesn't suit.”

And how does the 2024 version of Sibelius compare with the one of 12 months back?

“I think he's very similar, I think he's equally as good to how he was this time last year,” O'Dwyer said. “Even Junior Alvarado, he breezed him before he went to Tampa and that's exactly what he said. He said, 'I don't know that he's better than he was last year, but he's just as good.'

“That gives us some confidence. I ride the horse a fair bit myself and I know he's doing great. He's a 6-year-old, he's good and strong. We're in a very good place with him and looking forward to going out to Dubai again. He really seemed to thrive out there, so hopefully he can run his race again this year.”

O'Dwyer has penciled in one more half-mile breeze 'in eight or nine days' time.' Sibelius ships to the desert Mar. 19 and his trainer departs three days later.

The post Sibelius Preps For Golden Shaheen Defense At Palm Meadows appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights