Long Break No Problem For Godolphin’s Naval Power In Singspiel

Godolphin's NAVAL POWER (GB) (g, 4, Teofilo {Ire}-Emirates Rewards {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) showed no signs of rust when closing in taking style to win the AED850,000 G2 Singspiel S. Presented by Longines on Friday. San Donato (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) gave a good account of himself to take second by two lengths.The 1800-metre turf affair was not clear cut for all runners, however, as Sean (Ger) (Excelebration {Ire}) was mounting a clear challenge before the stalking Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) drifted directly into his path, forcing the Jamie Osborne-trained gelding to be taken up and temporarily halting his forward momentum. The German-bred recovered to finish third another 1 1/2 lengths back. The final time was 1:48.57. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-0.
O/B-Godolphin. T-Charlie Appleby.

 

The post Long Break No Problem For Godolphin’s Naval Power In Singspiel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Appleby Aiming For Consecutive Singspiels At Meydan

The AED850,000 1800-metre G2 Singspiel S. presented by Longines is the headliner among five stakes races on Meydan's nine-race Friday card.

Godolphin runs three from the Charlie Appleby yard, and the reinvigorated Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is coming into the race off two consecutive seconds in the December's G2 Al Rashidia and January's G1 Jebel Hatta to stablemate Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}). He is joined by multiple stakes winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“Ottoman Fleet probably brings the most consistent form over the course and distance into what looks a competitive race,” said Appleby. “It was always the plan to come here following a strong run in the Jebel Hatta.”

“Naval Power had a few minor setbacks last year but has been training well. This looks a nice starting point to see where we are before taking him back to Europe.”

Jamie Osborne is enjoying a fruitful winter in the Middle East with his runners, and he sends out Sean (Ger) (Excelebration {Ire}) to improve one spot after a second to Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. on Feb. 2.

“Sean has thrived during his stay in Dubai,” said Osborne. “I'm full of hope that we haven't yet seen the best of him. It's a very tough race and it will require a lifetime best, but I don't think it's impossible we will see one on Friday.”

 

Care To Dance?

Only seven fillies signed on to Friday's AED850,000 1800-metre G2 Balanchine Presented by Longines on grass, and Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby will saddle three of the septet. William Buick has elected to ride the four-for-five Sapphire Seas (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

A listed winner at Yarmouth in September, the daughter of Pure Diamond (GB) (Street Cry {Ire})'s only blip on an otherwise perfect resume was a fourth-place finish at first asking. Her paternal half-sister English Rose (Ire) has wins on both the grass and all-weather, but her unbeaten run was derailed with a runner-up performance to stablemate Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G2 Cape Verdi over 1600 metres on this course on Jan. 19.

“Sapphire Seas looks the filly they all have to beat,” Appleby, who has won the race five times commented. “She was a good winner of a listed race on her latest start. It's her first appearance of the year but this will hopefully be a springboard to a nice European campaign. English Rose has definitely come forward since the Cape Verdi and I feel that she will appreciate racing over nine furlongs.”

Hugo Palmer trainee Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) will aim to improve two spots after running third in the Cape Verdi. Runner-up in a pair of group races earlier in her career, the 4-year-old leaves from gate three with Jim Crowley at the controls.

“We were very pleased with the run of Stenton Glider in the Cape Verdi,” said the Classic-winning trainer. “It was her first run since August, after the first real break she had in her life. The Cape Verdi and the Balanchine were always the plan when we came to Dubai.”

 

Oaks Laurels & Derby Pointer In The Offing

The central pillar of the AED700,000 G3 UAE Oaks on Friday is the two-for-two Manama Gold (Star Guitar). After a trial at Meydan in November, she trotted out a 2 1/2-length winner of the Storm Coaster conditions race in December, prior to a 9 1/4-length tour-de-force in the Cocoa Beach S. over 1600 metres on Jan. 19. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' that day, the Victorious runner towers over her rivals in this 1900-metre affair for trainer Fawzi Nass.

“She's very exciting,” said jockey Adrie de Vries. “She's still improving and developing and came out of her last race really good. She's got a long stride and she's very relaxed, so I'm not concerned about [the distance] at all.”

The rest of the field has already been defeated by the golden chestnut at least once, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's Mizzyaan (Justify) was fourth in that January contest, her only start to date. However, if she continues to progress in the manner of her famous Triple Crown-winning sire, she could be a danger.

Classic-bound males get their chance in the Listed Al Bastakiya Presented by Longines, a prep for the G2 UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night at the end of March. Bhupat Seemar trainee Falcon Of Arabia (Speightstown) is aiming to protect his perfect record in the 1900-metre test over the Meydan dirt, but a pair of South American colts could make his life difficult. Haras Bage Do Sul's Quartier (Uru) (Matterhorn) has won half of his eight starts and was third in the G2 UAE 2000 Guineas, two better that the re-opposing Oasis Boy (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}) in fifth in January.

 

A Chance At History?

No horse has ever won the AED700,000 2810-metre G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy Presented by Longines more than once, and on Friday, Godolphin's Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is aiming to be the first from a rail draw. He won the Listed Al Khail Trophy over this trip on Jan. 26.

“Siskany came out of the Al Khail Trophy well and his record around Meydan speaks for itself,” said Appleby of last year's G2 Dubai Gold Cup second. “We are hoping that he can produce another strong performance and book his ticket for the Dubai Gold Cup.”

The post Appleby Aiming For Consecutive Singspiels At Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Friday Previews: 3-Year-Olds Lock Horns in Dubai

Undefeated Colts Square Off In UAE 2000 Guineas

If Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed's undefeated Bendoog (Gun Runner) takes Friday's 1600-metre G3 UAE 2000 Guineas, the bay colt will become his sire's 10th black-type winner and sixth at the graded/group level. Gun Runner–the Horse of the Year and Three Chimneys stallion who was champion first-season sire in America last year-ran second to Arrogate in the 2017 G1 Dubai World Cup.

One of two in the race for his owner along with Bhupat Seemar stablemate and winner Conglomerate (Ire) (Central Banker), Bendoog faces 13 rivals. One of several legitimate threats is the two-for-two Azure Coast (Street Sense). Trained by Pavel Vashchenko along with Suvorov (Creative Cause) in the colours of Vladimir Kazakov, the $65,000 Keeneland September yearling scored by six lengths in Moscow last September before another success over 1400 metres locally on Dec. 16.

 

Lord Glitters Looks For Singspiel Double

A frequent visitor to the UAE for the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the dual Group 1 winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) will be on hand to defend his title in the G2 Singspiel S. Third in the 2019 G1 Dubai Turf, the popular grey's greatest victory at Meydan was in the 2021 G1 Jebel Hatta on the Super Saturday card last March. Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's 9-year-old was fourth in the G2 Al Rashidiya on Jan. 21 after having to steady at the break. “We're happy with his training and we thought he ran well enough the other night in his first run at Meydan this season,” said trainer David O'Meara of the 2019 G1 Queen Anne S. hero.

The Singspiel has drawn plenty of rivals and the Godolphin homebred Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) from Charlie Appleby's yard is aiming for his third Group 2 ring. Runner-up to Lord Glitters in last year's affair, the 2020 G2 Zabeel Mile victor also won the 2021 G2 Al Rashidiya, but he was a one-paced ninth to Lord Glitters in the G3 Bahrain International Trophy most recently. “We think he'll be better down in trip in the Singspiel as he ran really well in the race last year,” said Appleby.

 

Can Rebel's Romance Get Back On Track?

The 2000-metre Listed Curlin S. is usually a springboard toward both Super Saturday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 and the G1 Dubai World Cup at the end of March. For the sparingly raced Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), however, it is a recovery mission. A winner of four of his six starts including last year's G2 UAE Derby, the 4-year-old gelding has only raced once since when a flat eighth in a rated conditions test at Meydan on Jan. 8.

Even if that race knocked some rust off Rebel's Romance, his quest is made more difficult by the presence of Victorious's Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}). A horse that has thrived in the desert since arriving in January of 2020, the Fawzi Nass-trained gelding is capable of winning at the highest level with a win in the 2021 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on his ledger. He was fifth in the Jan. 14 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round, and Nass said, “He's in good shape. Hopefully that race [on Jan. 14] has brought him on and he's ready to rock and roll this week in the Curlin S.”

 

Four On The Bounce For Modern News?

A winner in three starts as a juvenile in 2020, Modern News (GB), was on the sidelines for a year thereafter, during which he was gelded. A winner of three in a row since returning to the track last July, Modern News will be contesting his pet distance of 1400 metres on Friday in the Listed Business Bay Challenge S. His trio of wins at Newmarket (July 31), Doncaster (Sept. 9) and Lingfield (Oct. 28) were by a combined 3 1/2 lengths and he leaves from the inside post.

Another horse trying for four-straight victories is Bet Law (Brz) (Universal Law {Brz}) in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint over 1200 metres for Antonio Cintra Pereira and owner Stud Crespi. The 3-year-old colt soared to a pair of wins in Uruguay and won a track-and-trip conditions stakes by 4 1/4 lengths switched to Meydan on Jan. 14.

Click here for the group fields.

The post Friday Previews: 3-Year-Olds Lock Horns in Dubai appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights