Brother To Lord North Set For Debut

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Lord North.

13.35 Gowran, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, f, 8fT
Craig Bernick's WILLAMETTE VALLEY (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), one of two contenders from the Jessica Harrington stable, is a daughter of MGSW G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac second Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Her rivals include Shadwell's Giladah (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who is a half-sister to two black-type performers out of MGSW G1 Epsom Oaks second Tarfasha (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), herself one of two Dermot Weld nominees; and Coolmore and Westerberg's twice-raced History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a 2.8-million guineas Tattersalls October Book 1 daughter of MGSW GI Del Mar Oaks third Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

20.00 Wolverhampton, Nov, £7,000, 2yo, 8f 142y (AWT)
Godolphin's hitherto untried MILITARY CROWN (GB) (Postponed {Ire}) is a Charlie Appleby-trained brother to G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Dubai Turf hero Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The February-foaled homebred bay will sport a first-time hood and faces eight in this debut.

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Addeybb On Course To Defend His Title In QIPCO Champion Stakes

Last year's emphatic QIPCO Champion Stakes winner Addeybb is firmly on course to defend his title in the £1.2 million (about US$1.42 million) contest, according to his trainer William Haggas.

Addeybb finished second in the race in 2019 before going one better last year, providing jockey Tom Marquand with the biggest victory of his career so far. Having since won a third Australian Group 1, taking his career earnings to more than £3.5m (over US$4m), he has now given Marquand four of his six Group 1 wins.

Since returning from Australia his campaign has been geared towards QIPCO British Champions Day, and Haggas, who has also entered rising star Baaeed, as well as Al Aasy, Alenquer and Mohaafeth, is understandably looking forward to it.

He said: “It was great to win the Champion Stakes last year, fantastic. Addeybb was really on his game that day too. If we can get him like that again that would be great.

“Right now he is in a field, but he will have a run before the Champion Stakes. He was a little bit rusty in the Eclipse and the ground wasn't really slow enough for him, but I thought he ran well and he kept going up the hill as usual. I am sure we will meet St Mark's Basilica again at Ascot. It's called the Champion Stakes for a reason. It's where the good ones go.”

Love has already made two visits to Ascot this year and could make a third to run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes. Last year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Investec Oaks winner landed the Prince of Wales's Stakes first time out this season, but suffered her first defeat for two years when third behind Derby winner Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, for which she started favourite.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “The King George was a little bit of a funny race. Our other horse Broome got left five lengths and he still ended up being able to make the running easily. Ryan (Moore) had to wait to make his run a lot later than he would have preferred and in the end she probably had no race at all.

“Where she goes next I am not sure but we will give her a little bit of time before we decide that. She seems to be in good form.”

Love is one of a host of O'Brien entries for this race, which also include the Coral-Eclipse Stakes winner St Mark's Basilica, the winner of two French Classics this year, plus the outstanding dual Oaks winner Snowfall and the likes of Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara.

“St Mark's Basilica is in at York and Leopardstown and is entered on Champions Day as well,” O'Brien added. “We will get a little bit down the road before we really commit. Snowfall has the two entries (QIPCO Champion Stakes and QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares). We are looking at the Yorkshire Oaks at the moment for her.

“Bolshoi Ballet (entered for QIPCO Champion Stakes) is in America at the moment and he is going to run in Saratoga at the weekend in a Group 1 there. Santa Barbara (entered for QIPCO Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) is going back to America the following weekend for the mile and a quarter fillies' race. They will come back to Europe after that. Neither of them are soft ground horses.”

Last year's runner-up Skalleti is due to renew rivalry with Addeybb, his trainer Jerome Reynier having had a return to Ascot firmly in his sights all year.

Reynier said: “As a gelding the most prestigious race he could win is definitely the Champion Stakes, so we've been planning his season to bank on it. He is unbeaten in four starts this year and he now has three Group 1 wins under his belt.

“He will probably have one or two races before it and we really hope he will be able to have his ground on the day. He will probably go back to the Prix Dollar for a third time if he is in good form and the ground is soft enough, but we are aiming much for the Champion Stakes. If the ground is not soft enough for Arc weekend, he will be skipping the Prix Dollar.

“He had never run in a Group 1 prior to the Champion Stakes last year. The opposition was very high with Mishriff, Magical and Addeybb, but we were quite confident he'd run well. We really wanted to see how competitive he was going to be against those horses, and now we know we have one of the best horses in Europe on turf at a mile and a quarter.”

John Gosden, who enjoyed wide-margin wins here with Cracksman in 2017 and 2018, has two obvious candidates in Mishriff and Lord North. He has also entered Palace Pier here, as well as in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

He said: “Mishriff goes to York first for the Juddmonte and will then probably run in the Champion Stakes. Lord North is a possibility too. He had a throat infection and couldn't run in the Eclipse, so he hasn't run since Meydan in March, so he'll be coming fresh for the autumn.”

The race is also a possibility for last week's Qatar Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe. Trainer William Jarvis said: “She's had a long season, but she's very tough and has an amazing constitution, so if she's still enjoying her work we'll definitely consider the Champion Stakes. In the meantime though we'll keep her against her own sex for as long as we can, and there's the Prix Jean Romanet and the Prix de l'Opera to look at before Ascot.”

No fewer than 26 individual Group 1 winning horses are entered for the QIPCO Champion Stakes who, between them, have accumulated 52 wins at the highest level.

Full Entries: Addeybb (IRE) Al Aasy (IRE) Armory (IRE) Benbatl (GB) Broome (IRE) Euchen Glen (GB) Helvic Dream (IRE) Innisfree (IRE) Japan (GB) Juan Elcano (GB) Lord North (IRE) Mishriff (IRE) Mogul (GB) Palace Pier (GB) Patrick Sarsfield (FR) Real World (IRE) Skalleti (FR) Stormy Antarctic (GB) Audarya (FR) Lady Bowthorpe (GB) Love (IRE) Tarnawa (IRE) Thundering Nights (IRE) Wonderful Tonight (FR) Adayar (IRE) Alenquer (FR) Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) Earlswood (GB) Foxes Tales (IRE) Highland Avenue (IRE) Lone Eagle (IRE) Mac Swiney (IRE) Master of The Seas (IRE) Mohaafeth (IRE) Mojo Star (IRE) Mostahdaf (IRE) Sealiway (FR) St Mark's Basilica (FR) Third Realm (GB) Joan of Arc (IRE) Mother Earth (IRE) Santa Barbara (IRE) Snowfall (JPN) Snow Lantern (GB)

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Top-Class Fillies Love, Audarya Take On Defending Lord North In Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’s

Multiple Group 1 winners Lord North (IRE), Love (IRE) and Audarya (FR) lead Wednesday's 1 ¼-mile US$991,000 Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. The winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes will earn an automatic berth into this year's US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 ½ miles over the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of October 25 to receive the rewards.

The Prince of Wales's Stakes, is the second of four Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races to be conducted during the Royal Ascot meeting. The race will be televised live on NBCSN and TVG.

The HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing's 5-year-old gelding Lord North (IRE), trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, is the defending Prince of Wales's champion, having defeated Addeybb (IRE) last year by 3 ¾ lengths. A winner of six of 12 starts, Lord North made a successful seasonal debut at Meydan on March 27 when he won the Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (G1) by 3 lengths. Last year, Lord North, a bay son of Dubawi (IRE) out of the Giant's Causeway mare Najoum, closed out 2020 with a fourth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, beaten 2 ¾ lengths.

“He's a great character, he's in good form,” said John Gosden. “He's back on quicker ground. I think it's a fascinating race. Love has been waiting for this type of ground. She was exceptional last year but she raced with her own sex.”

Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's Galileo (IRE) filly Love (IRE) swept a trio of Group 1 races in an unbeaten 3-year-old campaign, taking the 1,000 Guineas, the Epsom Oaks and the Darley Yorkshire Oaks. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Love was scheduled to run in last October's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), but was not did start due to soft ground. Love will be ridden by Ryan Moore.

O'Brien plans to start another offspring of Galileo in the 4-year-old colt Armory (IRE), for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Seeking his first Group 1 victory, Armory has won five races, including his 2021 debut when he captured the 1 3/8-mile Melodi Media Huxley Stakes (G2) at Chester by 3 lengths on May 7. During the second half of last year, Armory won the Royal Whip Stakes (G3) at The Curragh in August, finished third behind stablemate Magical (IRE) and Ghaiyyath (IRE) in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1), and ran second in Australia's 1 ¼-mile Cox Plate (G1) at Moonee Valley in October. Seamie Heffernan has the mount on Armory.

Also making her 2021 debut is Mrs. A. M. Swinburn's Audarya (FR), a 5-year-old daughter of Wootten Bassett (GB), who completed and an outstanding season last year by winning the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Keeneland by a neck over Rushing Fall. Trained by James Fanshawe, the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf was Audarya's second Group 1 triumph of 2020, having also captured the Darley Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August. Audarya will be ridden by William Buick.

Juddmonte's 5-year-old Sangarius (GB), trained by Michael Stoute and ridden by Colin Keane, won last year's 1 ¼-mile Hampton Court Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. A bay son of Kingman (GB) out of the Empire Maker mare Trojan Queen, Sangarius finished second to Armory in the Huxley Stakes and finished second in the 1 1/4-mile Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) at Sandown on May 27 as the even-money favorite.

Sunderland Holding's 4-year-old My Oberon (IRE) finished third in the Prix d'Ispahan, beaten just a quarter of a length in his most recent start. Trained by William Haggas and ridden by Tom Marquand, My Oberon, a bay of Dubawi, won the 1 1/8-mile bet360 Earl of Sefton Stakes (G3) at Newmaket on April 21.

Abdulla Al Mansoori's 9-year-old gelding Desert Encounter (IRE), winner of the 2019 Pattison Canadian International (G1), finished second in the 1 ¼-mile Gordon Richards Stakes (G3) at Sandown on April 23 for trainer David Simcock. Desert Encounter will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni.

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Dubai World Cup Undercard: Tragedy Amidst Winning Performances

Horses from around the world were showcased on the eight Dubai World Cup undercard races from Meydan in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday evening, but the death of Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Zenden, who suffered a catastrophic front leg injury while galloping out past the finish of the six-furlong dirt race, left a pall on the event.

Zenden, a 5-year-old who was winning a graded/group race for the first time in his 15th career start, turned in a career best performance under UAE-based jockey Antonio Fresu, going straight to the front and never seriously being threatened while winning by open lengths. He sustained the injury just after Fresu gave the horse a celebratory slap on the neck, stumbling and throwing his jockey to the ground. Fresu dodged trailing horses and escaped unharmed. In the day's finale, the Dubai World Cup, Fresu was dislodged from Military Law when that horse broke through the starting gate and ran off before being scratched.

Owned by LLP Performance Horse LLC, Zenden is trained by Carlos David, a former assistant to indicted horseman Jason Servis. David won his first race as head trainer in November 2018 and had a breakout season in 2020, winning 52 races from 231 starts (23%) while compiling earnings of $1.6 million. The $1.5-million Golden Shaheen was his first graded/group win.

Zenden began his career racing for owner Pichi Investments LLC and trainer Victor Barboza, placing second in the 2019 G3 Swale Stakes and then finishing off the board in a pair of Kentucky Derby preps. When the Kentucky-bred son of Fed Biz returned to competition that fall to win a Gulfstream Park West allowance race, he had changed hands, with Todd Pletcher listed as trainer and LLP Performance Horse as owner.

Zenden had three more starts for Pletcher in the winter of 2020, finishing fourth in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes, second in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes and ninth in the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes, then went to the sidelines again.

When Zenden returned on Oct. 9, 2020, it was in the barn of David. He won a Laurel Park allowance, then ran ninth in the Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes at the Maryland track on Nov. 28. He surfaced at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 19, finishing last of 12 runners in the G3 Mr. Prospector. Zenden then was beaten a head by Edgemont Road in an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 15. He returned to the Oldsmar track to win the listed Pelican Stakes by a head over Souper Stonehenge on Feb. 13. Zenden breezed once in the U.S. following that race, going three furlongs in :38.38 on March 6, prior to his departure for Dubai.

Following are the recaps provided by the Dubai Racing Club for each of the Dubai World Cup undercard races:

DERYAN LANDS KAHAYLA CLASSIC FOR FRANCE
French-trained Deryan (FR) broke the track record when he lifted the US$750,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic Sponsored by Mubadala, the opener on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan, in 2 minutes 11.87 seconds.

Ridden by former French champion jockey Ioritz Mendizabal, the 6-year-old had secured a perfect position on the rail, just off the pace, and easily picked up the leader AF Alwajel 200m from the winning post to win by three-quarters of a length from the Ernst Oertel-trained AF Alwajel, while Mubasher Al Khalediah finished a further three and a half lengths back in third.

He did it really well this time,” said winning trainer Didier Guillemin, who had lifted the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on the same card with The Right Man in 2017. “He was quite nervous last time when he ran in Riyadh. This time, he was much calmer and we rode him differently, a little further back. I'm extremely proud to win a Group 1 here and to win it for owner Sheikh Mansour is just amazing.”

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayan is not only the owner but also the breeder of the chestnut and wins this race for the second time after Rabbah De Carrère lifted the trophy in 2014.

For Ioritz Mendizabal it was a first victory in this dirt race and he said: “Last time in Riyadh, I was outside and he didn't gallop and relax. Today I spoke to the trainer and he said it was important, after (leaving) the gate to stop him and relax behind horses. He galloped and relaxed and after the first corner, I was in the (right spot). Turning (into the straight), I knew I would win.”

SEEMAR'S AMBITION IS TOO GOOD IN GODOLPHIN MILE
Secret Ambition (GB) hardly saw another rival when availing of a perfect front-running ride from Tadhg O'Shea in the Group 2 $750,000 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City – District One. 

The Satish Seemar-trained 8-year-old made full use of his barrier position in stall 2 to lead the field from early in the race and clock a very quick time of 1:35:36 while recording a six-length success. 

Secret Ambition was one of only three course and distance winners in this 15-runner renewal of the Godolphin Mile and it was another course and distance winner in Golden Goal who finished second, while Avant Garde was back in third. 

O'Shea, who afterwards dedicated the success to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was keen to follow similar tactics to when the pair were impressive winners of the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes at Meydan back in February and those tactics certainly paid off as the horse recorded a career best. 

Winning trainer Satish Seemar said afterwards: “All week I've been saying that in this race there was no more experienced horse for this distance. At the post position draw, he was prominent in every race they would show him in the videos. He's the most deserving horse in this field and most experienced and it's perfect. With us they improve as they get older and this has worked out well. As planned, Tadhg did it by the book. This is what we live for here in our jobs. Nothing better than having a winner on this night.”

Bursting with joy after the success was jockey Tadhg O'Shea, who paid tribute to the team at Zabeel Stables.

“I'm only a small part of big team, and it's great for all the team and credit must go to them. Satish told me the other day he was the best horse in the race and how right he was,” said O'Shea. 

“We tried 2000m with him last time and that didn't work. I had a lovely gate today and luckily Secret Ambition was on his best behaviour and he wasn't on the back foot jumping, so he broke well. I wanted to get to the lead if at all possible and luckily I was able to and it worked out good. I filled him up before I kicked. He went for his wind and had a nice breather, so I had plenty left and I felt if anyone came to me, he would pull out again.”

Dedicating the win to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the multiple champion jockey in Dubai added: “The whole racing world sadly lost Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum this week and I want to dedicate this to him. It was when I was champion apprentice in Ireland in 2001 that Sheikh Hamdan sponsored a trip to Dubai and I'm coming back here ever since. I have been here a long time and it wouldn't have been possible without him.”

SUBJECTIVIST TAKES GOLD FOR JOHNSTON
Last year's Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak winner Subjectivist (GB) ended a 22-year hiatus on Dubai World Cup night for Britain's winning-most trainer of all time, Mark Johnston, with a brilliant victory in the US$750,000 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors.

Johnston's longstanding stable jockey Joe Fanning tracked the early leader For The Top before hitting the front around 1200m from home and powering clear to a five-and three-quarter lengths success from German-trained runner Walderbe. Away He Goes was a head further back in third. The winning time was 3:17:77.

“We've had Carnival winners but this is the first success on World Cup night for 22 years,” said Johnston, whose last success was Fruits Of Love in the 1999 Dubai Sheema Classic.

“But frankly, we hadn't been bringing the right horses. We came here today thinking surely he was the one to beat. He was a Group 1 winner on his last outing, he didn't have to improve – he just had to run up to his best.

“People doubted him on the ground but he'd just never run on anything this fast. When I walked the course I didn't think I'd seen a turf track in the world in a better condition than this.

“All the ducks were in a row and there was no reason he shouldn't run up to his best, which he has done.”

For Fanning it was a first success on Dubai World Cup night from his first mount. “He's a good horse and there was a bit of juice in that ground, which suited him,” said the jockey.“He settled well and I was always going so easy before the turn in. He stays very well. I rode him out here yesterday and thought the ground was good. I think he'll go on any surface. He's a good horse and has loads of ability and I think he's a better horse this year.”

EXTRAVAGANT AL QUOZ WIN FOR US CHALLENGER
The Brendan Walsh-trained Extravagant Kid (USA) became the first American-trained winner of the US $1m Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments when he burst through the ranks to beat the Godolphin filly Final Song by half a length, followed in third place by Acklam Express.

The field had initially split into three groups and Ryan Moore produced an inspired ride when he took the son of Kiss The Kid towards the stands' side from where he launched his attack to take the lead in the final 50m. 

The 8-year-old Extravagant Kid not only created history for the USA by winning the race in 01:09:26 but also produced a personal best, as he had been placed in Graded races before but had never actually won one.

“What an unbelievable race,” said his owner David A Ross. “His trainer Brendan Walsh had a good feeling about him, he came into the race well, Brendan had him prepped well. He really liked the venue here and we thought we would take advantage. As an 8-year-old, what about that?”

Irish-born Brendan Walsh, a former assistant to Godolphin who is based in the United States, has a perfect record at Meydan where he has now won 2 races from 2 starts after the victory of Plus Que Parfait in the 2019 UAE Derby.

He said: “No credit must go to me, I just put the saddle on. My lad here looked after him and he was very pleased with him.”

And Ryan Moore, who recorded his first success in this 1200m sprint, commented: “It was a very messy race. The speed looked like it was going to be stands' side but we had to make a decision. Space Blues and Khaadem were going, they were the best horses and gave me a bit of toe. The horse ran a super race at Keeneland (in the Breeders' Cup). He is a very talented horse. You'll have to watch out for Brendan when he comes back here!”

WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES AWAIT UAE DERBY WINNER REBEL'S ROMANCE
Rebel's Romance (IRE) realised the promise that his connections hoped he would when the son of Dubawi ran out an emphatic winner of the US $750,000 UAE Derby Sponsored by Emirates NBD. 

Trained by Charlie Appleby, ridden by William Buick and carrying the familiar blue colours of Godolphin, Rebel's Romance opened up a world of opportunities for himself when coming from off the pace to reel in the front-running Panadol and draw an impressive five and a half lengths clear as they flashed past the winning post. 

It was a first UAE Derby success for Appleby and Buick and a first success on the night for Godolphin. Charlie Appleby admitted talk of a possible tilt at the Kentucky Derby next was “a nice conversation to be having” after Rebel's Romance put his first career defeat in Saudi Arabia behind him in the best possible fashion and looks set to be a horse who will write many more headlines in 2021. 

This UAE Derby success certainly looks set to be a springboard to a bright future for Rebel's Romance with Appleby saying after the race: “We'll be working back from the Dubai World Cup next year” when speaking about future plans. 

Reflecting on his latest big race win on Dubai World Cup night, Appleby said: “He is still very much a work in progress and he looked much better tonight than he did in Saudi Arabia. I think the biggest attribute to him today is that he was going to stay. We were always confident he was going to stay. Stepping up in trip was going to be his forte.”

Rebel's Romance had won both his starts in Britain on the all-weather surfaces at Newcastle and then Kempton late last year before beginning a lucrative campaign by winning the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial at Meydan back in January. 

Appleby continued: “We've all seen year-in and year-out here, you can't do well with your European horses until they start racing on [dirt]. It's invaluable the experience they gain on it and he had his two starts on the surface and it was always our plan. When you see your horses wide on the back of that turn, you start to worry, but he was always travelling so well into it. Down the back straight I saw half of them coming under the pump and I thought 'don't worry, he's just coming good at the right time now.' It's great for the team. Most importantly it's good for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, who has a lovely horse win on Dubai World Cup night. I'm just delighted we've managed to put one into the back of the net.”

Buick said: “I was always where I thought I would be. He breaks a little bit slow, so I never thought I would be up there. He doesn't have much speed early and I was quite happy with the draw because I knew I could control where I would be and I did. Once I got out, he just bolted. I was a little bit worried I was getting there a little early; a little too quick, but that was some performance tonight. He's really come on and he's a big horse, but he's still a shell. He really knows how to use his power now.”

POIGNANT WIN FOR ZENDEN IN GOLDEN SHAHEEN
American raider Zenden (USA) ran out a brilliant victor of the US $1.5m Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News but there was a sad postscript when the winner suffered a fatal injury after the finishing post. 

Winning Rider Antonio Fresu was unshipped from the horse although he was able to walk away after the fall.

A first Dubai winner for trainer Carlos David, the Fed Biz entire came to the race on the back of a successful prep run at Tampa in Florida. He looked to have an unfavourable draw in 14 of 14 but Fresu made a swift move early in the race to take a rail position and they were soon leading the field.

Zenden powered clear of his competition as he turned into the home straight, eventually winning by three and a quarter lengths.

Red Le Zele, trained by Japanese handler Takayuki Yasuda, finished second. The Doug Watson-trained Canvassed was two and three-quarter lengths further back in third. The winning time was 01:09:01.

LORD NORTH RULES SUPREME IN DUBAI TURF
The stands might not have been filled as usual at Meydan, but that didn't stop Frankie Dettori from making his traditional flying dismount after the John Gosden-trained Lord North (IRE) lifted the US $4m Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World in great style.

As expected, First Contact had gone to the lead in this 1800m race, while Dettori had positioned his son of Dubawi one off the rail towards the back of the field.

Coming out of the final bend, he kicked on and Lord North responded immediately, absolutely flying home all the way to the line to beat Japanese raider Vin De Garde, who produced a very good performance himself, by three lengths, while the Marco Botti-trained Felix finished an excellent third.

It was an impressive reappearance by the 2020 Prince of Wales's Stakes winner at Royal Ascot and Thady Gosden, who has just entered a training partnership with his father John, said: “We were always hoping he would run well as he was in brilliant form out here. But he definitely put that race to bed very well from pretty far back. We will take him home now and then maybe give him a break and target the race he won last year at Ascot.”

Dettori, who was recording his second victory in the race that he won last in 1997 with Tamayaz, was equally impressed with the performance of the 5-year-old, who won the race in 01:46:46.

He said: “It was a nice pace. I had plenty of horse and I know he stays really well. So I kicked early and he flew. I didn't do much else after that, he did the rest.”

Owned by HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing, the 5-year-old made his debut in handicaps before graduating all the way up to Group 1 level and his jockey added: “He was a handful in the early days, so he got gelded and he is much more focussed now. He is a horse for all the good races this year. I'm sure the Gosdens will have a plan.”

VERSATILE MISHRIFF ADDS LONGINES DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC TO GROWING PORTFOLIO
Meydan's commentator Craig Evans predicted a “crackerjack of a finish” as the runners turned for home in the US $5m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and he certainly wasn't wrong as Mishriff (IRE) came from the widest starting point and from behind the entire field to see off the challenge of the Japanese pair of Chrono Genesis and Loves Only You in a vintage renewal of the Group 1 race.

Mishriff, confidently ridden by 21-year-old David Egan, was completing a unique double by adding the showpiece 2410m event to the Saudi Cup he claimed last month and showed an admirable versatility on the Meydan turf for trainer John Gosden and his son Thady. 

Two necks separated the first three horses home as Mishriff showed great courage to oblige and Gosden added his name to the roll of honour for a third time following the 2010 victory of Dar Re Mi and the 2017 success of Jack Hobbs. The winning time was 2:26:65. 

The Prince Faisal-owned Mishriff's quest for more big race honours will now turn to Europe for the summer, where he will attempt to add to his win in last year's Prix du Jockey Club, while for the Gosden family, it was a memorable double on the night following Lord North's Dubai Turf win. 

Mishriff's jockey David Egan, a former champion apprentice in Britain, was unsurprisingly full of praise for his willing partner. Reflecting on the latest major win in his short career and looking to the future months Egan said: “This horse has brought me to the next level by winning the Saudi Cup and this is just the icing on the cake. After winning the mile and a half around here hopefully he will have an exciting summer campaign around Europe.

“He's a champion. It was a strong battle inside the final two furlongs. I was just glad I was able to do my job and get him to settle and we know he's got an immense turn of foot. He showed that in Riyadh. I thought he had to dig deep today in the final furlong. I thought he was going to curl up on me, but it just shows how good he is. Over 12 (furlongs), if he's ridden with restraint and put in a rhythm, he could be deadly in Europe this year.”

Thady Gosden, who just this week joined his father John as a joint licence holder in Britain, said: “We thought before the race that if he was too 'on it' the whole way around, it wouldn't be good to send him up there to get position and that would be for the worst. So David just dropped him in there, where he's relaxed, and David just switched him off beautifully.

“He made his move when he had to around the bend and (David) gave him such a brilliant ride to get him to the line. He's such a tough horse and he's shown his versatility. He's a brilliant horse and obviously really talented. Hats off to everyone at home. They do all the hard work and take care of these horses every day doing such a fantastic job.”

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