Meydan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Friday Previews: ‘Express’ Train Leaves The Station

'Express' Hoping For a Rebound in Blue Point Sprint

The 1000-metre G2 Blue Point Sprint features the return of Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who was a good second in the Mar. 6 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint last year and third in the Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Off the board in two races when returning to the UK including a 10th in the June 15 G1 King's Stand S., the bay appears after a lengthy break and trainer Nigel Tinkler is hoping for a reversal of fortunes for his 4-year-old gelding.

“He surprised us a bit last season with how well he ran here, against his elders,” said pilot Rowan Scott. “Then he ran a brilliant race to be third in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night. We've got him as fit as we can at home, so I have to be hopeful of a big run.”

Also signed on are the Australian Group 2-placed Parsifal (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who was sixth in the Listed Dubai Sprint at Meydan on Jan. 28 and his stakes-placed stablemate He's A Balter (Aus) (Spirit of Boom {Aus}), last seen running second in a Meydan conditions race on the same card. The pair are trained by the Adelaide-based Will Clarken, who is stabling them at Meydan through the carnival.

“He's A Balter's run last time, only just being beaten, was a great thrill,” said Caitlin Jones, who will ride the gelding. “He's such a gentleman, he tries so hard and he's very honest. But Parsifal also ran really well in a slightly better grade of race, so it was a difficult decision.”

Godolphin's Lazuli (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a dual Group 3 winner in the UK, was second in the Dubai Sprint, and breaks from post nine.

Shahama Ready For The 1000 Guineas/Oaks Double?

KHK Racing's Shahama (Munnings) is the clear star of the 1900-metre G3 UAE Oaks. Yet to taste defeat in three starts locally, the Fawzi-Nass trained filly ventures beyond a mile for the first time in her young career. If successful on Friday, she would be the seventh filly to complete the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas/Oaks double going back to 2001, and the first since Polar River (Congrats) in 2016. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' after her second start earlier in the Dubai World Cup Carnival, she ran out a 3 3/4-length winner of the UAE 1000 Guineas on Jan. 28 against several of these. Doug Watson saddles the maiden Minwah (Cupid), who was second to Shahama in the 1000 Guineas.

Manobo Faces 'King' in Nad Al Sheba Trophy

The four-for-four Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) tries his hand over the Meydan turf for the first time in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy. A homebred for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, the 4-year-old gelding struck at Newbury and over the Kempton all-weather in May and June of last year, respectively. Back in action in the Listed Prix Turenne, he was a stunning 10 lengths ahead of his nearest pursuers in September and clawed his way to victory in the G2 Prix Chaudenay at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 2.

“Manobo's preparations have gone well and this is very much a stepping stone towards Dubai World Cup night,” said Appleby. “He had a lovely year as a 3-year-old and we are looking forward to seeing him back in action.”

Despite the hype for Manobo, he will be stiffly challenged by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}). Goodwood's August G3 March S. went the latter's way in his final start for Mark Johnston and Kingsley Park 16. He will be making his bow for his new connections in this turf marathon on Friday after selling for 380,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.

Silent Speech to Use Meydan as a European Pattern Vault?

The two-for-three Silent Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could make some noise in the European Pattern races once his stay in the desert concludes, and on Friday, the son of Epitome (Ire) (Nashwan) will attempt to land the Al Wasl S. over 1200 metres on grass. The chestnut captured a synthetic seven-furlong maiden at Wolverhampton in November and drew off to win by two lengths switched to this surface on Jan. 21. William Buick will ride the half-brother to Group 1 winner Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and G3 Prix Minerve heroine Synopsis (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}). The pair break from stall two. GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is out of another half-sister to Silent Speech.

Click here for the group fields.

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Glitters Shines Again In The Desert

Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) may have technically had his finest hour three years ago when winning the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, but it is nonetheless very difficult to knock the form that the 9-year-old has been in as of late. Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's remarkably consistent grey turned back the clock when winning the G1 Jebel Hatta and G2 Singspiel S. at last year's carnival, and he proved in fine form still at Meydan on Friday when repeating in the latest edition of the Singspiel S.

Lord Glitters, who has hit the board in 26 of 44 runs, made his first extended carnival visit last season, wrapping up a highly productive season highlighted by the two aforementioned pattern wins when splitting the field in sixth in the G1 Dubai Turf. Lord Glitters then returned to trainer David O'Meara's Yorkshire yard and made five starts during the British flat season, picking up a second in the G3 Strensall S. and fourth-placings in the G1 Lockinge S. and the Queen Anne before trailing home in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. over the soft ground. Rejuvenated by the Gulf sun, Lord Glitters bounced back to win the G3 Bahrain International Trophy on Nov. 19 and was fourth in the G2 Al Rashidiya on Jan. 21.

Dropping back from the get-go to take up his customary position in the rear of the field, Lord Glitters and Danny Tudhope watched on as Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) carved out the early running. Lord Glitters and Tudhope initially found themselves behind a wall of runners upon straightening for home, but they began their charge down the middle of the track when finding daylight shortly thereafter. Swooping out wide as his rival from last season, Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal), grabbed a premature lead inside the final furlong, Lord Glitters got his head in front in the dying strides and hit the wire a widening one length to the good.

Pedigree Notes

Lord Glitters is out of the multiple listed-placed Lady Glitters (Fr) (Homme De Loi {Ire}), who is also the second dam of the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner Petit Chevalier (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Lady Glitters's last reported foal is the unplaced 3-year-old Princess Glitters (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). Lady Glitters is a half-sister to stakes winners Grey Glitters (Fr) (Grey Risk {Fr}) and Loupy Glitters (Fr) (Loup Solitaire), while it is also the family of G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Morandi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Friday, Meydan, Dubai
SINGSPIEL S. PRESENTED BY RACE OF UAE INNOVATES-G2, $180,000, Meydan, 2-11, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:48.77, gd.
1–LORD GLITTERS (FR), 126, g, 9, by Whipper
1st Dam: Lady Glitters (Fr) (MSP-Fr),
by Homme de Loi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Marie Glitters, by Crystal Glitters
3rd Dam: Marie de Vez (Fr), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
(€25,000 Ylg '14 AR14; €270,000 HRA '17 ARJUN). O-Geoff &
Sandra Turnbull; B-SCA Elevage de Tourgeville & Mme Hilary
Erculiani (FR); T-David O'Meara; J-Daniel Tudhope. $108,000.
Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng & UAE, 44-11-10-5, $2,048,244.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A++.
2–Royal Fleet (GB), 126, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Zibelina (Ire), by
Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $36,000.
3–Zakouski (GB), 126, g, 6, Shamardal–O'Giselle (Aus), by
Octagonal (NZ). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby.
$18,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, HD. Also Ran: Freescape (GB), Kick On (GB), Bedouin's Story (GB), Art Du Val (GB), Sir Busker (Ire), Enemy (GB), Passion and Glory (Ire), Court House (Ire). Scratched: Alfareeq (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Street Sense Colt Goes Three-For-Three In Dubai

Azure Coast (Street Sense) was plucked out of the Gainesway consignment at Keeneland September in 2020 by owner Vladamir Kazakov for $65,000, and that has proven to be an inspired purchase with the colt now three-for-three and a stakes winner after taking Friday's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas on his black-type debut.

Debuting over a mile in Moscow in September, Azure Coast came home a six-length winner. He resurfaced at Meydan for trainer Pavel Vaschenko in December, dropping back to seven furlongs to win a conditions race over the Meydan dirt by a head.

Making his first start since, Azure Coast was off a step slow and was soon dead last and a good 15 lengths off the lead as the trial winner Rawy (Frosted) carved out the pace. Azure Coast began to make up ground under Antonio Fresu as they entered the bend, and in the kind of move rarely seen on the Meydan dirt, he began circling runners out wide and was coming with a full head of stream as they straightened for home. Kiefer (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) and Bendoog (Gun Runner) were among those fighting out the lead in midstretch, but Azure Coast was always coming on ominously, and he swept to the lead passing the furlong pole and eventually hit the line under wraps and two lengths clear. Kiefer held on for second, while the trial runner-up Quality Boone (Arg) (Daniel Boone {Brz}) made up late ground to grab third.

Pedigree Notes

Azure Coast was bred in Kentucky by Emory Hamilton and is the second live foal out of the unplaced Divine Rule (Empire Maker), who has a 2-year-old colt by Blame and a yearling son of Frosted and is barren this year. Divine Rule is a full-sister to Grade III winner Soaring Empire and a half-sister to the multiple Grade II-winning and Grade I-placed Hungry Island (More Than Ready), as well as to the dam of young Kentucky sire and GI Woodward S. winner Preservationist (Arch), all of whom were bred by Hamilton. Azure Coast's third dam, Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector), won the GI Ashland S., and the Grade/Group 1 winners appearing beneath her include Somali Lemonade, Librisa Breeze (GB), Harmonize and Verrazano. Divine Rule was bought by Five Rings Racing for $25,000 from the Gainesway consignment at Keeneland January in 2020.

UAE 2000 GUINEAS PRESENTED BY RACE OF CREATIVITY-G3, $150,000, Meydan, 2-11, 3yo, 8f, 1:39.21, fs.
1–AZURE COAST, 121, c, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Divine Rule, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Flying Passage, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector
1ST STAKES WIN. ($65,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Vladamir
Kazakov; B-Emory A. Hamilton (KY); T-Pavel Vaschenko;
J-Antonio Fresu. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $110,635.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+.
2–Kiefer (Brz), 131, c, 3, Drosselmeyer–Condoleza (Brz), by
Macho Uno. O-Haras San Pedro; B-Haras Santa Rita Da Serra
(BRZ); T-Ricardo Colombo. $30,000.
3–Quality Boone (Arg), 131, c, 3, Daniel Boone (Brz)–Quindici,
by Crafty Prospector. O-Stud Guara Del Sur; B-Haras Santa
Maria de Araras (ARG); T-Antonio Cintra Pereira. $15,000.
Margins: 2, NO, 2 1/4. Also Ran: Bendoog, Conglomerate (Ire), Sadaaty, Rawy, Nader (GB), Suvorov, Mujeer, Mr Kafoo, Pjerrot, Hear the Drums (Den). Scratched: Get Back Goldie.
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Life Is Good, Hot Rod Charlie Among Dubai World Cup Nominations

American stars Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) are among 153 horses nominated to the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup, which will be run at Meydan on Mar. 26. A total of 750 horses from 20 different countries have been nominated for the nine-race, $30.5-million card.

The 4-year-old Life Is Good was the emphatic winner of both the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar and the GI Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29, while Hot Rod Charlie was multiple Classic-placed last year and won the GI Pennsylvania Derby and last week's G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 at Meydan.

Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said, “To have more than 750 horses from 20 different countries nominated shows the continued strength of the Dubai World Cup meeting, which has grown each year since its inception in 1996. This achievement has been made possible by the vision and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who is the world's most influential supporter of this sport. We are delighted to have so many Group and Grade 1 winners nominated, including established stars such as Life Is Good and Hot Rod Charlie, and we thank the horse connections for their support and their trust in Dubai. We look forward to welcoming connections and fans to the 26th Dubai World Cup and we aim to deliver a spectacular night.”

Click here for the full list of nominations.

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