Highland Avenue (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

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.”

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Highland Avenue Leads Appleby’s Royal Ascot Brigade

Listed winner Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is in good order ahead of an intended start in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot on June 15. The Godolphin flagbearer broke his maiden at second asking at Kempton in January, and followed up with another win going a mile there on Mar. 3. He captured the Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket on Apr. 3 and was only a half-length second in the Listed Heron S. at Sandown on May 20.

“Highland Avenue will go for the St James's Palace S.,” trainer Charlie Appleby told Sky Sports Racing. “I believe when you go to Ascot you have to be battle-hardened, and he's put that onto his CV now. Sandown was very much a stepping-stone to the St James's Palace, as long as he ran well. I'm very much looking forward to seeing him on a quicker surface at Ascot.”

Another Godolphin/Appleby runner for the St James's Palace S. is La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the winner of the G3 Tattersalls S. as a juvenile. Second to stablemate and G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket on Apr. 15, the colt was sixth in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas on May 22.

“We'll add to La Barrosa to the St James's Palace picture. We were pleased with his run on his last start,” he said. “He's come out of the race well, and deserves to be in the line-up.”

Both SW and MGSP Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and SW Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are bound for the seven-furlong G3 Jersey S.

“Naval Crown is going to drop to seven for the Jersey,” he said.

“He lost nothing in defeat on his first run back in the Free H., and ran a gallant race in the Guineas. The pace angle is very much his forte. We might step Creative Force up from six to seven to run him in the Jersey as well. On what he has achieved he deserves to be at Ascot. On his pedigree, there is no reason why he shouldn't step up to seven.”

The aforementioned Master of the Seas has returned to work after being derailed by a minor setback that prevented him from starting at Royal Ascot. The G1 Prix du Moulin is now on his calendar in September.

“Master Of The Seas resumed back into work last week,” said Appleby. “He'll build up day by day, week by week, now. We were pointing him towards Goodwood for the [G1] Sussex, but I felt the track would not quite suit him there. The Prix du Moulin is a more realistic target. Long-term the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar will be tailor made for him.”

Hambleton Racing Duo Primed For Royal Ascot

The G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot is the likely next race for Listed Surrey S. hero Mehmento (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), although he also holds an entry in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. Earlier in the season, the Hambleton Racing XLVI & Partner runner had been a close second in the G3 Greenham S. at Newbury in April, but ran unplaced in the G1 French 2000 Guineas on May 16 prior to his Epsom score.

Cosmo Charlton, head racing manager for owners Hambleton Racing, said, “We're looking towards Royal Ascot with him now– probably most likely for the Jersey, but also considering the Commonwealth Cup. I think Archie is probably leaning towards the Jersey at the moment, but we're keeping an open mind.”

Another Hambleton-owned horse is G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who is being readied for the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. The gelding ran fourth in his seasonal reappearance in the G2 Greenlands S. on May 22.

“Mehmento and Glen Shiel will be going to Ascot for us–Glen Shiel will be going for the Diamond Jubilee,” Charlton added. “Glen Shiel is in very good form, and we'll see how he goes on quicker ground–because it looks like that's what we're going to get, looking at the weather forecast.”

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Dubawi’s Highland Avenue Takes the Feilden

Successful in two of his first three starts on Kempton's Polytrack, Godolphin's Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was particularly impressive when taking the Mar. 3 “Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions S. given that he had to overcome a tardy start. Much more sprightly from the break in this debut on turf in Tuesday's Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket, the grey tracked the leading duo before taking over approaching the two-furlong pole. Chased down by stablemate Secret Protector (War Front) from there, he gave generously to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the pair pulled six lengths clear of a smart field. “To be fair, he hasn't done anything wrong in his career and just found it a little bit sharp first time,” jockey James Doyle said of the homebred, whose dam enjoyed her finest hour at this venue when winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. and is a full-sister to the GI E. P. Taylor S. heroine Sheikha Reika (Fr) (Shamardal). “He's a sleeper at home and not flashy in his work, but he'd shown enough and has improved on the track. He quickened up well in the Kentucky Derby race and has mentally improved throughout each run. He'll probably come back in distance after today, I was surprised how well he travelled and he responded a bit sharper than I thought he would. Charlie said we should take our time with him and I think he'll come on massively for that.”

Appleby is keen to avoid over-facing the winner for now and added, “He is doing everything the right way–we are not trying to achieve too much too soon with him. He is very much a horse that might not jump straight into the deep end just yet. Physically, he is a big horse. Each run he is tightening up and skeletally is strengthening up well. He has got to do a stalls test now, as I've taken a ticket with him the last three occasions, but I'm sure it will be fine. The second horse has added substance to it. It was a hard choice for William [Buick], but he had ridden Secret Protector and not this one so he stuck with him. He is a horse that is probably crying out for a bit further. As this horse mentally sharpens up, he will get physically sharper and he will get quicker. At this moment, I think a Guineas might be too much. I don't want to lose this horse just by rolling the dice with him, as he has got an engine.” Lumiere's 2-year-old filly is by Galileo (Ire), while she also has a 2020 filly by Sea the Stars (Ire).

BET365 FEILDEN S.-Listed, £30,000, Newmarket, 4-13, 3yo, 9fT, 1:48.23, gd.
1–HIGHLAND AVENUE (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Lumiere (GB) (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eng, G1SW-Eng, $329,674), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Screen Star (Ire), by Tobougg (Ire)
3rd Dam: Actoris, by Diesis (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £17,013. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $62,725.
2–Secret Protector, 126, c, 3, War Front–Eternal Bounty (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). ($800,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-R. S. Evans (KY); T-Charlie Appleby. £6,450.
3–Royal Champion (Ire), 126, c, 3, Shamardal–Emirates Queen (GB), by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £3,228.
Margins: 1 1/4, 6, HD. Odds: 4.50, 4.50, 2.00.
Also Ran: Youth Spirit (Ire), Fancy Man (Ire), Gentleman Joe (GB), New Treasure (Ire), Arturo Toscanini (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.

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