Listed Meydan Classic | Horse Racing Free Tips

Before the gates flew, all of the attention was focused on Godolphin's Master Of The Seas, a winner of the G2 Superlative S. and fourth in the G1 National S. at two, however, his stablemate Naval Crown had other ideas and fended off that rival's late charge to win the Listed Meydan Classic over 1600 metres on Thursday.

Breaking better than his fellow Charlie Appleby yardmate, Naval Crown was content to make the running through the early going and opened up on the field before the far turn. Master Of The Seas, however, had been noticeably fired up and very keen from fifth. The son of Come Alive traveled beautifully at the head of affairs as Master Of The Seas still tugged in fourth entering the straight.

Saving all of the ground at the fence, Naval Crown had built up enough cushion that despite Master Of The Seas's best efforts once tipped out to make his run in midstretch, the final margin was 1 3/4 lengths. The latter's earlier exertions undoubtedly blunted his finishing punch. Yurman was a distant third, 9 3/4 lengths back.

“The horse was fit today and that's the reason he won,” said hoop Michael Barzalona. “Today we had a nice rhythm, and I think I was pretty well in front and the horse was confident, and it was better to be in front. I am sure Charlie will be able to drop the horse in trip, and the horse had done well today.”

“Naval Crown–we pitched him in at group level as a 2- year-old, and he was well-placed twice there,” said Appleby. “We were not planning to run him in the 2000 Guineas, but he was working nicely in the dirt and therefore we felt we would give him a chance, and he ran a very solid race. Returning to turf was always going to favour him. He came into the race race-fit with conditions to suit, and he has gone and done it nicely. Personally, I think the horse will come back in trip when we get back to Europe.”

Regarding the heavy favourite Master Of The Seas, “With Master of Seas–he is fresh and well, and he showed that this evening. William [Buick] said he will come on a bundle for that. At least he learnt something this evening, William got him into a rhythm, he was here to win his race, but he got tired down the straight, but I am happy we got him out. He is very much a work in progress for Europe.”

Third at second asking in the Listed Pat Eddery S. at Ascot last July, the colt saluted in a York maiden over seven furlongs and then improved further to take third in both the Sept. 6 G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp and the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud on Oct. 2. Shelved for the year, Naval Crown was third after tracking the pace in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas on Feb. 4.

With his victory, Naval Crown is the 197th black-type winner for his Darley sire, who now has five stakes winners-three at the group level–out of Dansili mares led by G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Nezwaah (GB). Come Alive, who scored her biggest win in the Listed Prix Amandine and was also second in the Listed Prix Lilas, threw Naval Crown as her first foal. Her latest produce is a Lope de Vega (Ire) filly. The daughter of Dansili is out of English listed winner Portrayal (Saint Ballado), who also filled the frame in the G2 Prix Robert Papin, G2 Prix d'Aumale and G3 Middleton S.

The extended family is flush with black-type winners, all tracing to fourth dam and G3 Prix de Royaumont conqueress Truly Special (Ire) (Caerleon). G1 Irish Oaks heron Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), as well as G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) are both among their number, as is boom G1 Australian Oaks victress Colette (Aus) (Hallowed Crown {Aus}) among many others.

MEYDAN CLASSIC (SPONSORED BY AGNC3)-Listed, $88,000, Meydan, 2-25, NH3yo & SH3yo, 1600mT, 1:36.52, gd.
1–NAVAL CROWN (GB), 121, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Come Alive (GB) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Portrayal, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: True Glory (Ire), by In The Wings (GB)
1ST-BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby;
J-Mickael Barzalona. $52,800. Lifetime Record: SP-Eng, MGSP-
Fr, GSP-UAE), 7-2-0-5, $116,231.
2–Master of the Seas (Ire), 121, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Firth of
Lorne (Ire), by Danehill. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie
Appleby. $17,600.
3–Yurman (Arg), 131, c, 3, Asiatic Boy (Arg)–Qilaada, by
Bernardini. O-Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum;
B-Phalaris SRL (ARG); T-Mike de Kock. $8,800.
Margins: 1 3/4, 8, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Mayehaab (GB), Nibras Passion (GB), Sharp Spun (GB).
Click for the Racing Post chart or Video.

The post ‘Navy’ Conquerors the ‘Seas’ at Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

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.

The post Grass-Centric Carnival Card at Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post