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Star Safari Swoops in Dubai Millennium

Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) gave trainer Charlie Appleby his third and final win on the card in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. after the earlier success of Bright Melody (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the second race and Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Listed Meydan Classic.

Removed from the early cavalry charge, Star Safari raced last bar two as Halimi (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) motored along at the head of affairs. He began to slowly take closer order 500 metres from home and launched a four-wide bid at the quarter-pole. Star Safari collared new leader Mailshot (Hard Spun) in upper stretch and then fended off the tardy rush of Bedouin's Story (GB) (Farhh {GB}) to his outside for a first black-type score. The winning margin was 1 1/4 lengths, with Halimi staying on for third another length behind.

“He is a pretty lightly raced horse and I really liked what he did tonight,” said William Buick. “It was a very straightforward win for him and he kept fighting all the way to the line. It might not be the best Group 3 around, but they are pretty well-seasoned horses and it was a good performance. He has had three runs this winter here, so I guess they might have one eye on the carnival next winter.”

A winner at Nottingham at two, he only made a single start at three finishing uplaced in a Deauville listed affair that November. Gelded and wwitched to Meydan, a handicap went his way last February, but he was benched once more until taking third in the Listed Zabeel Turf on Jan. 28. He returned to form with an 3/4-length win in another handicap going 2410 metres on Feb. 11.

Pedigree Notes

Star Safari is his sire's 74th black-type winner and broodmare sire Muhtathir (GB) (Elmaamul)'s 11th. His dam, who won twice in France at two and three, produced Star Safari as her first foal, and followed him with the New Approach (Ire) 4-year-old filly Invincible (Ger). Intimhir is a half-sister to German and Italian highweight Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire})and French Group 3 winner Soudania (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), making her granddam the hugely influential Broodmare of the Year Sacarina (GB) (Old Vic {GB}). Other foals of Sacarina include the Monsun (Ger) trio of outstanding German and Italian champion and G1 Derman Derby hero Schiaparelli (Ger), his full-brother and fellow German Derby winner Samum (Ger) and their G1 German Oaks-winning sister Salve Regina (Ger). Another full-sister to that trio, the unraced Sanwa (Ger), has already thrown another German Derby winner and promising young sire in Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
DUBAI MILLENNIUM S. (SPONSORED BY GULFNEWS.COM)-G3, $130,000, Meydan, 2-25, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:04.01, gd.
1–STAR SAFARI (GB), 126, g, 5, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Intimhir (Ire), by Muhtathir (GB)
2nd Dam: Sahel (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
3rd Dam: Sacarina (GB), by Old Vic (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (€200,000 Ylg '17
BBASEP). O-Godolphin; B-Gestut Brummerhof (GB); T-Charlie
Appleby; J-William Buick. $78,000. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1,
$238,302. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bedouin's Story (GB), 126, g, 6, Farhh (GB)–Time Crystal
(Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (90,000gns Wlg '15 TATNOV).
O-Godolphin; B-Dukes Stud & Overbury Stallions Ltd (GB);
T-Saeed bin Suroor. $26,000.
3–Halimi (Ire), 126, g, 5, Teofilo (Ire)–Vincennes (GB), by King's
Best. O-Rabbah Racing; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Simon Crisford.
$13,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1, 3/4.
Also Ran: Dream Castle (GB), Mailshot, Red Cactus, Lucius Tiberius (Ire). Scratched: Royal Marine (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.

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Stewart Taking Another Shot At Dubai World Cup With ‘True Grinder’ Title Ready

For the third consecutive edition of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), prominent North American owner Charles Fipke and his go-to trainer Dallas Stewart will take a swing at the world's second-richest race. This round is slightly different for the affable team, as they do not bring a known champion like Forever Unbridled (2018) or a Breeders' Cup- and Pegasus World Cup-placed runner like Seeking the Soul (2019). Instead, an improving sort getting very good at the right time will head to Dubai in the form of an appropriately named Title Ready.

A homebred like the aforementioned, the son of More Than Ready is from the immediate family of Seeking the Soul and is a grandson of one of the greatest race-mares of all time, undefeated Breeders' Cup-winning champion Personal Ensign. Title Ready exits a smart victory for Stewart in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Jan. 16 at New Orleans' Fair Grounds over G2 winner Wells Bayou, a culmination of six starts focused on refining the dark bay since he was received in the spring of 2020.

After competing 19 times for Steve Asmussen, he was switched to Stewart, resulting in a pair of good-looking wins, an excellent third to Mr Freeze in the Fayette (G2) and unplaced efforts in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Clark Stakes (G1).

“Chuck is excited to come and I am too,” Stewart said. “We ran him in the Breeders' Cup and there wasn't enough pace, so he really ran pretty good that day. I probably ran him back a little quick in the Clark at Churchill, but I think he's good enough for those, so I gave him a little time after that and took him down to the Fair Grounds. Then he won in New Orleans and he looked really good that day. He's just doing great and he looks awesome.

“He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree, by More Than Ready and with Personal Ensign on the bottom side, and is related to Seeking the Soul. That whole family is so strong. ” Stewart continued. “He's training great and is a wonderful horse to have in the barn, so I really wanted to give him a shot in this race.”

Blunt and charismatic, as always, Stewart knows he is diving once again into deep waters with the good-looking 6-year-old, but that has not stopped him from taking home a big check before. His proficiency with aiming toward a big race and placing with long-odds runners has been document ad nauseam, so his eagerness to send Title Ready should be noted.

Stewart: “He doesn't look six, that's for sure. He's a young-looking dude. He's a true grinder and really just keeps coming and keeps trying. He's a real happy horse and trains well.

“I think we got outrun the two times we were there so far, but I believe the approach we have is solid. We just have to get there and run the race. It's $12 million, it's a mile and a quarter, we're hoping he will be better at that distance and we're game to try.

“It's the only way I know to approach races. You have to be game to do it, train for it and then you go for it. We really want to thank Sheikh Mohammed for having the race and allowing us back to run. We really appreciate it.”

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Grass-Centric Carnival Card at Meydan

Turf races rule the day in Thursday's Dubai World Cup Carnival card at Meydan. Each of the quintet of races for Thoroughbreds take place on the grass, with the $195,000 G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy Sponsored by Gulf News the crown jewel.

Held over 2810 metres, the contest drew 2019 race winner and G3 Deutsches St Leger hero Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who anchors the Godolphin brigade. Charlie Appleby's bay has been seen on the racecourse only sparingly, and he was in action only twice last year with a staying on fourth in the Listed Tapster S. at Haydock his best run. Off the board in the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic when in need of a run on Jan. 21, Ispolini completed the superfecta in the Feb. 4 Listed Meydan Cup over course and distance.

Appleby said of Ispolini,”He needed his first run and ran well second time. They were both handicaps when he has big weights, so on level weights here, he should be thereabouts in a competitive race.”

In front of him that day were Saeed bin Suroor barnmates Volcanic Sky (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) and Global Heat (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) in second and third, respectively.

Ismail Mohammed's Away He Goes (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) has given every indication that he is maturing into a force to be reckoned with in the staying division later on in the Carnival. A 2400-metre handicap at Doncaster went his way in September, and the 5-year-old gelding-equal to Ispolini on official ratings of 107–has filled the frame in his two latest runs. Third in the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic locally going a quarter mile shorter on Jan. 21, he went one better over that trip in a local handicap on Feb. 11.

Mohammed said, “He has run very well both times this year over 2400m and, we hope, the extra 400m is going to be in his favour.”

The G3 Dubai Millennium S. is conducted over 2000 metres, and, although light on experience, the three-time winner Star Safari (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) looms one of the main protagonists. Listed placed two back in the Zabeel Turf on Jan. 28, the Charlie Appleby trainee stalked and pounced to win a local handicap over 2410 metres on this course on Feb. 11.

“He ran well on his comeback after 11 months off and won nicely last time,” said Appleby, who is seeking a fourth consecutive winner and a fifth edition in six years. “That was only his sixth career start and returning to 2000m should not be an issue.”

Three more Godolphin runners hail from the Saeed bin Suroor barn, with recent G2 Singspiel S. third and 2019 G1 Jebel Hatta victor Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) booked in stall seven and stablemate Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven's Pass), who won the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2018, next to him in gate eight.

Simon Crisford's Halimi (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) returns off of three weeks' rest. The SP Rabbah Racing colourbearer was fourth in the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic on Jan. 21 and was outfooted throughout the Listed Meydan Cup going a half-mile longer on Feb. 4.

Meydan's third race is the 1600-metre Listed Meydan Classic on grass. Top of the heap on ratings at 112 is the well-hyped Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for the Godolphin/Charlie Appleby axis. The colt, who holds Classic entries in the Irish 2000 Guineas/Irish Derby, overcame a rough break to win the G2 Superlative S. last summer. Stepped up to Group 1 company, the son of G1 French 1000 Guineas bridesmaid Firth of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill) was fourth in the National S. at The Curragh when last seen on Sept. 13.

“Master of the Seas is the class horse in the race, but as I said to the whole team, the focus is very much on Europe and pointing him toward the Guineas,” said Appleby. “He's had a long time off and he's going out there to hopefully get a nice experience, but whatever he does, he'll improve a lot for it. He was very keen in the National S. and did it the wrong way around, so I'd like to see him get into a nice rhythm and see the race out, doing it the right way around, with very much an eye on Europe.”

His stablemate, MGSP Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), has finished third in three consecutive Group 3 races, including in the Feb. 4 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas and should come forward from that effort.

Fawzi Nass saddles first-out winner Mayehaab (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). Successful by a length over Yurman (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}) in a 1700-metre Meydan maiden affair on Feb. 13, the chestnut breaks from the rail.

The evening's nightcap is the over-subscribed Listed Meydan Challenge over 1400 metres also on grass, with Godolphin's Well of Wisdom (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) signed on to tote a field-leading 136 pounds. The MGSP Charlie Appleby trainee captured the 2020 Listed Meydan Classic last February, as well as a June 13 Sandown handicap in successive starts. Off the board in the G1 Prix Jean Prat after making the early running in July, he rebounded with a listed win at Deauville in August. After an unplaced finish in the G3 Prix Daphnis there on Aug. 22, he was gelded and Feb. 25 is his first start back.

Saeed bin Suroor sends out Light and Dark (GB) (Shamardal), who won a Kempton all-weather handicap going this trip on Oct. 7. Listed winner Escobar (Ire) (Famous Name {GB}) has not enjoyed the best luck of late, and, although he ran third in both the G2 Lennox S. and G3 Supreme S. both at Goodwood last summer, the David O'Meara trainee has posted three successive off the board finishes, including the Feb. 18 G2 Zabeel Mile.

Charlie Hills's Fleeting Prince (Ire) (No Nay Never) appears to be improving at the right time and made up some late ground to take third in the Listed Dubai Sprint on Feb. 4 for a career best, one better than Could Be King (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) for Ken Condon.

Click here to view the group fields.

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Open Zabeel Anchors Carnival Card

The Dubai World Cup Carnival continues at Meydan on Thursday, and the seven-race card is loaded with six stakes races-five at group level-a little over two weeks in advance of the Mar. 6 Super Saturday card.

The G2 Zabeel Mile has been won the past two years by Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby. Per usual, the royal blue is well represented, and the 110-rated D'Bai (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) leads the foursome. The 2019 G2 Al Fahidi Fort victor was only three-quarters of a length back in second when defending his title on Jan. 21. Another Appleby runner is listed hero Art du Val (GB) (No Nay Never), who was a running-on fourth in the G2 Singspiel S. on Jan. 21. Saeed bin Suroor sends out the Jan. 28 course and distance winner Bedouin's Story (GB) (Farhh {GB}).

“D'Bai ran a very good race in the Al Fahidi Fort and the return to 1600m is not a concern as he won over the trip as a young horse,” said Appleby. “The 1800m looked slightly too far for Art Du Val in the Singspiel, so the drop back 200m should be in his favour.”

Said bin Suroor of Bedouin's Story, “This is a big step up in class, but we are looking forward to seeing how he copes with it.”

The MGSW Epic Hero (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is aiming to bounce back after a rough-passage third in a listed race at Newmarket on Halloween. The Simon Crisford runner was also third a start prior in the G3 Darley S. at HQ earlier that month.

Similarly to the Zabeel Mile, the 1800-metre G2 Balanchine on grass attracted another Godolphin quartet, led by Jan. 28 Cape Verdi heroine Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}). If she salutes on Thursday, she will give her connections their third consecutive Balanchine. The roan, carrying three more pounds than her rivals, will also attempt to complete the Cape Verdi/Balanchine double for the third time in three years. Another from the same yard is Group 3 heroine Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who ran fifth in the Cape Verdi after setting the pace.

“We had slight doubts about the 1600m before the Cape Verdi, but she saw it out well,” said Appleby. “She now has an extra 200m, under a penalty, so that is a new question, but she is in great form. That was a bit disappointing from Summer Romance in the Cape Verdi, but she has worked well since and we will race her in a hood.”

Saeed bin Suroor's duo of 2020 UAE 1000 Guineas winner and MGSP Cape Verdi third Dubai Love (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) returns for another try against Althiqa. “Dubai Love is a tough filly with a touch of class as she displayed winning last year's UAE 1000 Guineas,” said bin Suroor. “The 1800m should really suit her and she is in great form.”

One of Althiqa's chief rivals is Cape Verdi second Stylistique (GB) (Dansili {GB}) for Roger Varian. An allowance winner at Deauville last November, the GSP filly has Andrea Atzeni in the irons. It will be just 11 days short of a year since G3 UAE Oaks victress Down on Da Bayou (Super Saver) ran off the board in the inaugural Saudi Derby, but she makes her long awaited 2021 and grass bow in the Balanchine. Mozzarella (Fr) (Power {GB}), MGSP in France last summer, was a last out fourth at listed level at ParisLongchamp in September.

The G2 Meydan Sprint kicks off the group action at Meydan on Thursday and MGSW A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) carries top weight of 134 pounds. The five-time group winner's most recent tally was in the G2 Sapphire S. at The Curragh in July, but he ran fourth in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. a month later and trailed home 14th in the G1 Flying Five S. on Sept. 13. Frankie Dettori has the call for Simon Crisford.

Last out Listed Dubai Dash victor Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) will not make A'Ali's task an easy one over the grassy 1000-metre trip; nor will Dubai Dash third and G3 World Trophy S. hero Lazuli (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) representing Godolphin.

Sheikh Hamdan's Waady (Ire) (Approve {Ire}), successful in this event in 2020, reported home second in the 1200-metre G3 Dubawi S. on dirt when last seen on Jan 21. “It's really good to be back on grass with him and he's definitely better on it, even though he ran great last out in the Dubawi,” said trainer Doug Watson. “He's in great form and everything about him at the moment is positive.”

Watson's Mnasek (Empire Maker) mauled her opposition by 6 3/4 lengths when unveiled over 1400 metres locally on Dec. 17, and she heads the field for the G3 UAE Oaks on Thursday. She lost her unbeaten tag after breaking poorly in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas to Godolphin's Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), but as that rival is contesting the Feb. 20 $1.5-million Saudi Derby in Riyadh instead, she looks to have a clear playing field.

“She's doing really well and we broke her out of the gate twice with Pat [Dobbs, jockey],” Watson said. “I'm happy with him being on her this time. She has a lot of talent and if you stay out of her mouth–because she's touchy with that–at the start, she will break a lot better. I think she and Super Chianti are in great shape for the run.”

Her winning stablemate Super Chianti (Super Saver) was several lengths back in third in the 1000 Guineas and gains blinkers. Godolphin's Last Sunset (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) played bridesmaid to Soft Whisper in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial at Meydan on Jan. 7, and Saeed bin Suroor sends her back into the fray with Frankie Dettori on board. She was second most recently in the Feb. 4 Meydan Classic Trial versus males on the grass.

Bin Suroor said, “The step up to 1900m should really suit her [Last Sunset] and she ran well on dirt in the trial for the UAE 1000 Guineas, so we have no qualms about the surface.”

American expat Gladiator King (Curlin) towers over his rivals on form in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint. A winner of both the G3 Dubawi S. and the 2020 Al Shindagha at Meydan last January, the GIII Hutcheson S. hero ran third in the first edition of the Saudia Sprint at Riyadh on Feb. 29. Warming up for a defense of his title in this contest, the 5-year-old entire tired to third in the 1200m Dubawi S. on Jan. 21.

“He's in great form,” said assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar. “He ran third in his first run against fitter horses. He's a big, strong horse and you can only do so much galloping with him to get him in shape enough to compete with those types, so he definitely needed the run. He's definitely tightened up and improved from then.”

Feb. 5 Listed Jebel Ali Sprint winner Al Tariq (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) returns, and he represents trainer Doug Watson. Second in a Jebel Ali handicap last March, he finished in midfield when reappearing in a Meydan handicap on Jan. 21. “That was very rewarding at Jebel Ali and this is the obvious next target,” said Watson. “We think he can at least be competitive in a strong renewal.”

The lightly raced SP The Perfect Crown (Ire) (Hallowed Crown {Aus}) tests the waters at Meydan and at group level for the first time. Third in a Chelmsford conditions affair in September and fourth over a 1500-metre Deauville trip on Dec. 12, he is now trained by Salem bin Ghadayer. Bin Ghadayer said, “We have only had The Perfect Crown about three weeks, so this is a learning mission with him.”

Also on the seven-race card is the 2000-metre Listed Curlin S. The lightly raced Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is one of three in the race for Godolphin. Hailing from the Saeed bin Suroor yard, the 4-year-old colt graduated at Chelmsford in October, and was second in a Meydan conditions head over 1900 metres on Dec. 17. He was third after an awkward break over the same distance in a handicap on Jan. 14. Charlie Appleby's two-time winner Desert Peace, by this stake's namesake, is making his first Meydan start after saluting in a Kempton synthetic test all the way back on June 21.

The ultra-consistent Tailor's Row (Street Cry {Ire}) enters off of a career-best runner-up finish in the Listed Jebel Ali S. on Jan. 5. A winner of three-straight two-turn handicaps prior to that run beginning last December, the Salem bin Ghadayer runner is joined by stablemate and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), ninth in that same Jebel Ali contest. Twelfthofneverland (Istan) has won two straight here for Satish Seemar-a 2000-metre handicap on Jan. 16 and another handicap, this time going a mile, on Jan. 30.

Click here for the group fields.

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