Fawzi Nass | Horse Racing Free Tips

More Distance, No Problem for Salute the Soldier in G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3

Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) found the added real estate of the 2000-metre G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 no problem and earned his first Group 1 win at Meydan in front-running style on Saturday evening.

The Fawzi Nass trainee scooted straight to the fence and battled with Tailor's Row (Street Cry {Ire}) and Roman Rosso (Arg) (Roman Ruler) into the clubhouse turn before shaking off those rivals to take command outright. Approaching the far bend, Tailor's Row called it a day and Roman Rosso was left to press the Victorious colourbearer as Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) stalked that pair just behind.

Salute the Soldier kept finding at the head of affairs inside the final quarter mile, with Hypothetical appearing to bring the strongest challenge, but the 6-year-old gelding held firm to the line to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Hypothetical was second three lengths in front of Roman Rosso. The margin back to Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan) in fourth was 1 1/4 lengths. Salute the Solider is the second Group 1 winner for his sire Sepoy (Aus) (Elusive Quality).

“I expected the pace to be set from the outside, he jumped well, and the guys next to me didn't want it so I was happy to lead,” said jockey Adrie de Vries. “I got my own pace. He is just getting better, and he is so much fun. He is a great character, there is always something special about him. He didn't want to go to the start today, he has his tricks in the morning as well. I think he still has got a bit left in the tank, he continues to improve and I hope we have him spot on for the big day.”

Added Nass, “He showed us last year that he absolutely glides on the Meydan dirt, and distance wise he always showed he would stay a lot further. He was actually never built as a sprinter as you can see. Luckily it paid off going the extra couple of furlongs.

“When you have a horse that has already qualified for the Dubai World Cup, we did think why take a risk or running a race [Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3] where [we] could get beaten. But we thought about it and it is pretty long gap from his last race to Dubai World Cup day, and the horse is quite enthusiastic, and we thought why not run him today.”

Third in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup S. at Newbury in September of 2019 in the colours of Mr. and Mrs. P. Hargreaves and Alan Spence for trainer Clive Cox, the bay was knocked down for 380,000 guineas to Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock later that fall at the Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale. A winner of the 2020 G3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday last term for these connections, Salute the Soldier did not face the starter again until a fourth-place run in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on Dec. 17. He reported home third in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 21 prior to his G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 score on Feb. 11.

Pedigree Notes

Salute the Soldier is the second top level winner after MG1SW Alizee (Aus) for his four-time Group 1-winning sire Sepoy. Originally a G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Golden Slipper winner who progressed to take the G1 Manikato S. and G1 Coolmore Stud S. at three, the son of Elusive Quality stood under the Darley banner in both hemispheres and is currently based at Darley's Northwood Park in Victoria.

The sixth foal out of his unraced dam, Salute the Soldier is the best by a large margin. Street Fire's only black-type winner, she has an additional four winners to date. Her 2018 filly, Fire Dancing (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), has yet to race, and she has a yearling filly by that sire, too.

The Kris S. mare Firedrake, Salute the Soldier's second dam, is a half-sister to GI Eddie Read H. hero Monzante (Maria's Mon) and to the French stakes winner Alpha Plus (Mr. Prospector), second in the G3 Prix La Rochette. His fourth dam is Bold Captive (Boldnesian), responsible for GI Breeders' Cup Classic victor Skywalker (Relaunch) and GII Malibu S. hero Pac Mania (Ramsinga {Fr}).

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R3 (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE)-G1, $390,000, Meydan, 3-6, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000m, 2:03.09, ft.
1–SALUTE THE SOLDIER (GER), 126, g, 6, by Sepoy (Aus)
1st Dam: Street Fire (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Firedrake, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: Danzante, by Danzig
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (380,000gns HRA '19 TATOCT).
O-Victorious; B-Alan Spence (GER); T-Fawzi Nass; J-Adrie de
Vries. $234,000. Lifetime Record: 21-8-5-3, $1,122,218. Werk
Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hypothetical (Ire), 126, c, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Peut Etre
(Ire), by Whipper. (550,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Knocktoran Stud
(IRE); T-Salem bin Ghadayer. $78,000.
3–Roman Rosso (Arg), 126, h, 6, Roman Ruler–Rose City (Arg),
by City West (Arg). O-Zaur Bifov; B-Haras Melincue (ARG);
T-Satish Seemar. $39,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Thegreatcollection, Secret Ambition (GB), New Trails, Dubai Mirage (Ire), Firnas (GB), Quip, Tailor's Row, Saltarin Dubai (Arg). Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.

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Salute The Soldier Appears ‘A Genuine Dubai World Cup Prospect’

Three weeks before the UAE's biggest day of horseracing, the Dubai World Cup card, this weekend's Super Saturday is a 'dress rehearsal' with all seven races mirroring the conditions of one of those on the big day, officially highlighted by the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 on dirt along with the Group 1 Jebel Hatta, the turf highlight.

Over the same 2000m (1 1/4 miles) on dirt as the $12 million Dubai World Cup, the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 has on three occasions been won by a subsequent Dubai World Cup winner with Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) all completing the double at Nad Al Sheba for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor.

Frankie Dettori rode all three to win this, though did not partner Street Cry in the World Cup, and is aboard dirt debutant Dubai Mirage for the same connections this year. Competing at his first Meydan carnival, the 4-year-old gelding has finished second on both local starts, in turf handicaps over 1600m (one mile) and 1800m (nine furlongs).

Being a gelded son of Dubawi, he certainly looks worth trying on the dirt surface and did lose his maiden tag on his sole all-weather appearance in Britain.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Mirage has run well on the turf so far this season, finishing second on both occasions, and we wanted to give him a chance on the dirt. This will be a very tough race, but he has been going nicely at home.”

For Fawzi Nass and Adrie de Vries, Salute The Soldier was a Super Saturday winner last year in the 1600m (one mile) Group 3 Burj Nahaar. A 6-year-old Sepoy gelding, he bounced back to winning ways in the 1900m (1 3/16 miles) Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 just over three weeks ago.

De Vries said: “That was a new trip last time and he stayed well, suggesting the extra 200m (furlong) will not be an issue. He seems in great form and it is exciting to, hopefully, be involved with a genuine Dubai World Cup prospect.”

Second on that occasion to De Vries' mount was Thegreatcollection, also runner-up in the 1600m (one mile) Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 when Salute The Soldier was third. To be ridden by Pat Dobbs, the 7-year-old Saint Anddan gelding is trained by Doug Watson for Zaur Sekrekov.

The trainer said: “He stayed the 1900m (1 3/16 miles) well last time and, on that evidence, 2000m (1 1/4 miles) is not going to be a problem. He has been in great form all season.

“Hopefully they go quick and he can close on them in the straight. We are really looking forward to seeing how he goes.”

Thegreatcollection's most recent victory, in the middle of December, was in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile, chased home by Secret Ambition with Salute The Soldier back in fourth.

Trained by Satish Seemar for Nasir Askar, Secret Ambition was then runner-up when attempting to defend his crown in the Group 3 Jebel Al Mile. Most recently, he won the 1600m (one mile) Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, at the carnival, a month ago.

With regular pilot Tadhg O'Shea suspended, Richard Mullen resumes the partnership victorious in the 2019 Jebel Ali Mile. Seemar also saddles Quip, Saltarin Dubai, victorious in the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes on his most recent start a month ago under Mullen, and Roman Rosso.

Salem bin Ghadayer is seeking a third consecutive victory in the race and fourth in five years. He saddles Firnas, Tailor's Row and Hypothetical, runner-up behind Secret Ambition in the Firebreak Stakes before recording a second 1600m dirt Meydan handicap success a fortnight ago.

Bin Ghadayer said: “All three are in good form and have been running well, but this is, obviously, a tough race. We hope they all run well and can give a good account of themselves.”

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Bahrain International Trophy Winner Simsir Takes On Bigger Challenge In Saudi Cup

Ground-breaking trainer Fawzi Nass is preparing an assault on the $20 million Saudi Cup with Bahrain International winner Simsir.

Nass made history at the inaugural Saudi Cup meeting last year when his Port Lions pulled off a shock win by defeating Japan's star mare Deirdre in what is now called The Neom Turf Cup, the first turf race ever held in Saudi Arabia.

Now he has the world's most valuable race in his sights with Simsir. The 5-year-old will take on some of the world's best dirt horses, including Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go and rising star Charlatan, in the 1800m (nine furlongs) contest on Feb. 20.

Bahrain-based Nass will also aim a three-strong challenge at the first running of the Al Rajhi Bank International Handicap on Feb. 19, the day before The Saudi Cup.

He is targeting last month's Crown Prince Cup winner New Show, as well as stablemates Desert Lion and What A Welcome, at the 2100m contest, which is open to horses trained in countries not included in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' Part One nations.

Nass said: “Simsir is doing well. He's had an easy time since winning the Bahrain International Trophy in November, so we thought, if we're going to go to Saudi, we needed to get a run into him. We had the Crown Prince Cup, which was a hot race over 2000m (1 1/4 miles), and he finished a close fourth. Things didn't go his way, he missed the break and he had to come from behind, which doesn't suit a galloping horse like him. He didn't disgrace himself and we're happy with that being his prep run for The Saudi Cup.

“Desert Lion, What A Welcome and New Show, the winner of the Crown Prince Cup, are all going for the Al Rajhi Bank International Handicap, which is over 2100m on the turf. I'm not sure what the competition will be like but I'm happy with them and their preparation.

“Simsir and What A Welcome will be ridden by Adrie de Vries, who won on Port Lions at the meeting last year for us, so we'll stick with the same luck. Desert Lion will hopefully be ridden by Paddy Mathers, who gets on well with him here in Bahrain, and New Show will hopefully be ridden by David Egan.”

The return to King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh will obviously bring back happy memories for Nass after last year's famous victory.

He remembered: “It was an amazing experience. We went there knowing that we had a chance to nick a place but, obviously, everyone thought Deirdre had the race done and dusted. Overall, it was an amazing day and the feeling was good.

“I think the track is second to none really – up there with the best of the turf tracks. There was an amazing cushion and cover on the grass. Knowing that they had laid it so close to the race, all the jockeys obviously loved it. It's a very, very nice turf track.

“The Saudi Cup meeting is very important, especially for us in Bahrain, as we look at Saudi Arabia as the mother country. It's always a pleasure to participate in those events in Saudi Arabia, so it would be nice if we can win another race again.”

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‘Soldier’ ‘Salutes’ in Al Maktoum Challenge R2

Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) captured the second group race of his career in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 at Meydan on Thursday. His win interrupted a Godolphin streak, as the royal blue was first past the post in three of the five races carded for Thoroughbreds on the day.

The Alan Spence-bred settled in a tracking third as Capezzano (Bernardini) showed the way on the front end. However, Salute the Soldier sidled up to the pacesetter's outside and stuck his neck in front late on the back straight. Capezzano punched back and those two continued to exchange blows around the far turn. Still locked together at the quarter pole, Salute the Soldier inched away from a stubborn Capezzano 300 metres from home. As the wire neared, the Fawzi Nass trainee started to tread water, but held on to win by a length from the closing Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan). Ajuste Fiscal (Uru) (Ioya Bigtime) completed the trifecta 3/4 of a length back in third. Capezzano hung gamely on for fourth a neck behind.

“It went to plan, I expected Capezzano (Bernardini) to lead and I wanted to sit in second,” said jockey Adrie de Vries. “My horse started to get a bit racy, but I needed to react, and I could give him a blow on the turn to fill him up again. We hit the front soon and he always just does enough, he was getting very tired in the end and he was entitled to, I think we went fast, riding a bit deep. This is a big point for us, maybe we can go for the big one [G1 Dubai World Cup] with this horse. He needs to step up, I think he would have learnt a lot today. He is a funny horse and was late to mature, and not easy to train, and there is still room for improvement.”

Third in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup S. at Newbury in September of 2019 in the colours of Mr. and Mrs. P. Hargreaves and Alan Spence for trainer Clive Cox, the bay was knocked down for 380,000 guineas to Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock later that fall at the Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale. Transferred to the Fawzi Nass barn for new owners Victorious, he promptly rewarded his new connections with a handicap win in his Meydan debut last January. Fourth to Thursday's G2 Al Rashidiya victor Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) in the G2 Zabeel Mile on Feb. 20, Salute the Soldier captured his first group race, the G3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday in 2020. Coming off a 285-day break, the gelding returned with a fourth in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile behind re-opposing rival Thegreatcollection on Dec. 17, and went one better in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 21.

Pedigree Notes

Salute the Soldier counts as one of 21 black-type winners, 11 at the group level, for Gone West-line stallion Sepoy. His best progeny to date has been the Godolphin filly Alizee (Aus), a winner of the G1 Queen of the Turf S., G1 Futurity S. and G1 Flight S. Salute the Soldier is his second Group 2 winner after G2 German 1000 Guineas heroine Unforgetable Filly (GB).

By far the best foal produced by the unraced Street Fire (Ire), Salute the Soldier is one of five winners from seven to race. His dam's latest offspring is a yearling filly by Iffraaj (GB). The 6-year-old gelding's third dam is French listed winner Danzante (Danzig), who was also placed five times at group level in France and America and threw GI Eddie Read H. hero Monzante (Maria's Mon), as well as French stakes winner Alpha Plus (Mr. Prospector), second in the G3 Prix La Rochette. Danzante was one of five black-type winners for SW Bold Captive (Boldnesian), chief among them GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Skywalker (Relaunch).

Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R2 SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G2, $293,000, Meydan, 2-11, 3yo/up, 9 1/2f, 1:57.37, fs.
1–SALUTE THE SOLDIER (GER), 126, g, 6, by Sepoy (Aus)
1st Dam: Street Fire (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Firedrake, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: Danzante, by Danzig
(380,000gns HRA '19 TATAUT). O-Victorious; B-Alan Spence
(GER); T-Fawzi Nass; J-Adrie de Vries. $175,800. Lifetime
Record: 20-7-5-3, $672,317. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Thegreatcollection, 126, g, 7, Saint Anddan–Cactus Cadillac,
by Cactus Ridge. O-Zaur Sekrekov; B-Kathleen Amaya,
Alexandro Centofanti & Raffaele Centofanti (FL); T-Doug
Watson. $58,600.
3–Ajuste Fiscal (Uru), 126, c, 4, Ioya Bigtime–Braid (Arg), by
Storm Surge. O-Stud La Pomme; B-La Concordia (URU);
T-Antonio Luiz Cintra Pereira. $29,300.
Margins: 1, 3/4, NK.
Also Ran: Capezzano, Firnas (GB), Quip, Blown By Wind (GB), Dubai Warrior (GB), Mootasadir (GB). Scratched: Mark of Approval.
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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