dubai | Horse Racing Free Tips

Flashback: Pleasantly Perfect Denies Medaglia D’Oro In 2004 Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup meeting celebrates its historic 25th anniversary on March 27, with six Group 1 races and three Group 2s, including one of the world's premier races, the $12 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Over the next three weeks, the Dubai Racing Club will pay tribute to each of the previous Dubai World Cup winners. Today, we rewind to 2004 when Pleasantly Perfect won the Dubai World Cup in thrilling fashion.

Such was the reputation that arrived with Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D'Oro that not even the previous year's UAE Derby winner and Al Maktoum Challenge champion Victory Moon, nor the Japan Cup Dirt winner Fleetstreet Dancer or Japan's finest dirt runner, Admire Don, could garner much support when opinions were sought as to the likely winner of the Dubai World Cup.

Pleasantly Perfect and fierce rival Medaglia D'Oro were different, and many were expecting them to repeat their battle of four months previously in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita, some going further and predicting that the former would emulate inaugural winner Cigar and follow his Breeders' Cup win with a Dubai World Cup success.

Pre-event predictions of match races and classic encounters hardly ever come to fruition, however this would be different. As strong a field as was assembled for this Dubai World Cup, Victory Moon, Fleetstreet Dancer, Admire Don and seven others would be relegated to just bit players as Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D'Oro made Nad Al Sheba the venue for some scores to be settled from Santa Anita.

Jerry Bailey, rider of Medaglia D'Oro, decided to make his move shortly after turning into the long Nad Al Sheba straight and for a few strides it appeared the horse could carry him to Dubai World Cup success number four. Bailey, however, didn't need to glance over his right shoulder to discover who was within his shadows, his nemesis from Santa Anita was right there and ready to challenge.

Such is the size of Pleasantly Perfect that he doesn't appear to quicken, merely lengthen his giant stride, and as he did, so he drew alongside Medaglia D'Oro at the 400m. Further back Victory Moon was beginning to make some ground, however all attention was with the leading two. They drew away from the chasing pack and as hard as Medaglia D'Oro tried to come back, Pleasantly Perfect was too big, too strong, on an evening where both would receive the plaudits.

Nad Al Sheba erupted as Pleasantly Perfect and Alex Solis eventually drew clear to win by just under a length, however as good as the win was, their appreciation was also for the brave second placegetter. Victory Moon was far from disgraced in finishing third five lengths away, himself a long way in front of the fourth, Grand Hombre, the horse entrusted by Godolphin to give them a hat-trick of Dubai World Cup successes.

However, with Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D'Oro it was always going to be a tough assignment. For Richard Mandella it was the breakthrough he so eagerly sought. This was an event where two top class horses proved themselves superior to their rivals with the winner arguably just that little bit better than the second.

Pleasantly Perfect finished his career winning nine of eighteen starts, with earnings close to a record US$8 million.

The post Flashback: Pleasantly Perfect Denies Medaglia D’Oro In 2004 Dubai World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Flashback: Street Cry Gives Jerry Bailey A Fourth Dubai World Cup Victory

Over the next three weeks, the Dubai Racing Club will pay tribute to each of the previous Dubai World Cup winners. Today, we rewind to 2002 when Street Cry gave jockey Jerry Bailey his fourth and trainer Saeed bin Suroor his third Dubai World Cup title.

Champion American jockey Jerry Bailey collected his fourth victory in what was the world's richest race as the Godolphin owned and Saeed bin Suroor-trainee Street Cry dominated in the seventh running of the US$6,000,000 Group 1 Dubai World Cup.

Street Cry's success gave Bailey his fourth win in the event after Cigar (1996), Singspiel (1997) and Captain Steve (2001).

“It's great to have won this race four times but it's because I have had some nice horses to ride,” Bailey commented after the win, while for Saeed bin Suroor it was his third success after Almutawakel (1999) and Dubai Millennium (2000).

The seventh running of the Dubai World Cup proved to be a triumph for Middle East-based horses as the first five over the line were trained in either the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia with the Japanese runner Agnes Digital the best from outside the area, finishing sixth. Bailey secured the ride on Street Cry after Godolphin stable jockey Frankie Dettori opted for Sakhee (winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe). That horse finishing third, over eight lengths away from the winner.

Street Cry was allowed to settle midfield on the inside of Sakhee and as the field approached and rounded the home turn. Sakhee went around the early leaders Western Pride and To The Victory, while Bailey had no hesitation in keeping to the fence on Street Cry. Sakhee got to the front momentarily, however Street Cry grabbed him quickly and then kicked clear. Sakhee was beginning to labour as Street Cry got a winning break at the 200m and it was Saudi Arabia's Sei Mi (fifth to Captain Steve in the 2001 Dubai World Cup) who came from last to finish second, four and a quarter lengths away.

Street Cry went to America and appeared certain to dominate after an impressive performance to win the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs before a second in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga, and then injury unfortunately brought a premature retirement to Jonabell Farm.

The post Flashback: Street Cry Gives Jerry Bailey A Fourth Dubai World Cup Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Flashback: Silver Charm Narrowly Denies Swain In Third Dubai World Cup

Over the next three weeks, the Dubai Racing Club will pay tribute to each of the previous Dubai World Cup winners. Today, we rewind to 1998, when Silver Charm won the Dubai World Cup title for Bob Baffert. It was the first of many successful outings in the UAE for the American trainer.

For those outside of the USA any chance of seeing a winner of any of America's Triple Crown races used to be limited to the television screen. However, all of that changed in 1996 when the Dubai World Cup created a truly viable option for owners and trainers of America's best to consider international raids.

Cigar was the leader and he paved the way for another history making event in 1998 when Silver Charm, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, made his way to Dubai.

Silver Charm's trainer Bob Baffert, who had never left the USA, was able to make the trip to the United Arab Emirates through a hastily arranged passport, to prepare his grey champion for the event.

Just when it was thought that nothing could better the inaugural victory of Cigar and then Singspiel came the epic battle of Silver Charm and Swain, and their jockeys Gary Stevens and Mick Kinane, where it appeared that honor was more valuable than the world's richest prize.

Such was the excitement of that contest that few remember who finished third. For the record books it was the French raider Loup Sauvage, who turned in a personal best.

Silver Charm returned to America with his best performances being a narrow second to Awesome Again (with Swain just behind him in third) in the Breeders' Cup Classic before a win in the Grade 2 Clark Handicap. He returned the following year to win the Grade 2 San Pasqual Handicap, was third in the Donn and Santa Anita Handicaps before returning to defend his Dubai World Cup crown.

He couldn't repeat his heroics of 12 months previously and was beaten a long way from home when only sixth behind Almutawakel. He was retired after his next start when unplaced in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. Silver Charm was one of the narrowest winners of the Dubai World Cup, however that was his usual method of success, never actually winning his races by big margins, but in winning the Dubai World Cup he defeated a champion in Swain and must be rated as one of the race's very best winners.

The post Flashback: Silver Charm Narrowly Denies Swain In Third Dubai World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Extravagant Kid To Al Quoz Sprint

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid), who recently passed the $1-million mark in career earnings, will make his next start in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200 meters on the straight) on the Dubai World Cup undercard at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 27, trainer Brendan Walsh confirmed Wednesday.

A six-time stakes winner and second in the GI Highlander S. in 2019, the 8-year-old ran home gamely to be a close fourth off a very wide trip in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and has since rounded out the exacta in three additional black-type events, including the off-turf Colonel Power S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 13.

“He's never ran a bad race and when he really shows up, he's right there,” said Walsh, whose lone previous World Cup night starter Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry) won the 2019 G2 UAE Derby. “In the Breeders' Cup…he was only beaten a length or so after a horrendous draw–14 out of 14–and going wide the whole way and lost a ton of ground. He's one of those horses who no matter the company he's in, he holds his own. He's done it on turf and dirt and it's always been in the back of my mind that he'd be a good horse to bring to Dubai. He's getting on in age and I think this is a good time to go.”

Walsh relishes the opportunity to head back to Dubai, where he worked as a track rider for Godolphin for a decade.

“Dubai has a place in my heart and it always will,” the 47-year-old conditioner said. “It will be nice to have a horse who can come out there and compete again. We had a great time last time, but it's always great when you win. They always put on a great show and take care of you. It'll be a pleasure to come back.”

The post Extravagant Kid To Al Quoz Sprint appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post