Trevaunance A First Moyglare Runner In Dubai On Friday

Friday's Meydan card is anchored by the AED700,000 G3 Dubai Millennium S. over 2000 metres on grass, and Jessica Harrington sends out Group 2 heroine Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) to face the boys, which includes a strong challenge by Godolphin.

The first runner for Moyglare Stud in the UAE, the G2 Prix de la Nonette winner ran second to India (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G1 Preis von Europa last out at Cologne in September. She carries only 121 pounds in the eight-horse field, anywhere from three to six pounds less than her rivals.

“Trevaunance has travelled over to Dubai very well and Zara, her rider, has been delighted with her,” said Kate Harrington, the trainer's daughter and assistant. “Shane [Foley, jockey] sat on her this morning [Wednesday] and was very happy with how she was.”

G3 Gordon S. winner New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has been gelded since running second at listed level in September, and Bahraini stakes winner Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) are ridden by William Buick and Michael Barzalona, respectively.

“We are hoping that dropping back to a mile and a quarter is going to suit New London,” said trainer Charlie Appleby of the Godolphin pair. “This race has always been the plan for him and, if you take the best of his 3-year-old form, he looks a serious contender.

“Warren Point proved what he could do in Bahrain and Qatar last year. He has wintered out in Dubai for a couple of years without actually running at Meydan, but I think the trip and track will suit.”

 

Supporting Cast Anchored By Dubai Sprint

The AED500,000 Listed Dubai Sprint attracted a strong field of 14, and 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) returns after running fourth in the Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash in December.

“Mischief Magic came out of the Ertijaal Dubai Dash well and coming back to six furlongs should play to his strengths,” said trainer Charlie Appleby of the Godolphin runner.

The one-for-one Nadelia (Fr) (Spanish Moon) will attempt to emulate subsequent dual top-level scorer and G1 1000 Guineas heroine Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in the Jumeirah Fillies' Classic. In the male equivalent, the Jumeirah Guineas also over 1400 metres of turf, Team Valor International's Shamrock Glitter (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}) squares off against Godolphin's Legend Of Time (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) once more after running second to that foe at the beginning of January over this course and distance.

“She's a [half-]sister to [Group 1 winner] King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) and we do like her, that's why we've brought her to Dubai,” said assistant trainer Marine Henry of Nadelia, who is trained by her husband, Nicolas Caullery. “She did a piece of work really well last week and we're looking forward to her race.”

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Inaugural Festive Friday Draws International Cast At Meydan

Friday marks the first edition of the Festive Friday card at Meydan, featuring two group races, three listed races and AED4.5 million in prize-money across the nine-race stand.

Returning to the scene of his 2023 G2 Godolphin Mile victory is Isolate (Mark Valeski), who will step out in the AED1-million G2 Al Maktoum Mile for trainer Doug Watson. Tyler Gaffalione will fly in for the race from the States.

“That was a great day and he's moving better this year than he did last year,” said trainer Doug Watson, who also runs Golden Goal (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), winner of this race in 2022. “They do a nice job out at Sheikh Rashid [Bin Humaid, owner]'s farm and he had a good summer off and came back looking a million dollars.

“We've worked him a few times over at Meydan–he loves going over there. There might be Saudi [Cup meeting] plans but we'll see how he runs here first.”

Royal Mews (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is one of nine rivals signed on, and he will be ridden by Tadhg O'Shea.

“We're really looking forward to having Royal Mews back,” said Ryan Tongue, Racing Manager for owners Deva Racing of the three-time winner. “Isolate is the one to beat, but Tadhg O'Shea worked Royal Mews last week in blinkers for the first time and apparently he worked very well.”

Already in action this season is Road Bloc (Street Sense), who was third in a 1200-metre race at Sharjah on Nov. 26.

“He needed his first run and he's working very well at home,” said owner Sayed Hashish. “The draw is not ideal but we believe he will appreciate the distance.”

 

Godolphin & Shadwell Out In Force In Al Rashidiya

Seven of the 11 entrants of the G2 Al Rashidiya will bear either the royal blue of Godolphin or the blue with white epaulettes of Shadwell. Charlie Appleby sends out Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and he is gunning for his fourth title in five years in the 1800-metre grass affair.

Not to be outdone, is fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who is already a six-time winner of this race. His Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a multiple group winner who was placed twice at Group 1 level last year, will break from stall seven.

G1 Jebel Hatta hero Alfareeq (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is one of three in the race for Shadwell, and holds pride of place, as he is the chosen mount of retained jockey Jim Crowley. The duo will leave from stall two.

 

Friday's Supporting Card High On Class

A trio of listed races anchor the supporting card, among them the AED500,000 Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash over the minimum trip of 1000 metres on grass. The youthful Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2022, squares off with desert veterans Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), and Miqyaas (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Johnny Murtagh sends the progressive 4-year-old filly Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}) into the fray, as well. She ran second ot Miqyaas in the G2 Blue Point Sprint in February.

“Miqyaas is doing well,” said Abo Bakr El Hefnawy, assistant trainer to Rashed Bouresly. “He raced once on dirt to be ready for this race.”

This season's G1 Al Quoz Sprint winner Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) makes his return on Friday in the 1400-metre Listed Business Bay Challenge on grass. His task is not the easiest, as among his 15 foes is GI Summer S. victor Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.

Rounding out the listed races is the Entisar S., conducted over 1900m on dirt. Bhupat Seemar saddles a pair of horses, including Western Symphony (Ire) (Shamardal) and Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“Godolphin thought Walk Of Stars was good enough to run in the Epsom Derby as a 3-year-old so he is a very exciting horse to have,” said Seemar. “We're going to experiment with Western Symphony and try him over the 1900m. His pedigree suggests he has a chance of getting in, albeit he is a Shamardal, because there is a lot of stamina on the dam side.”

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Home Comforts Help Euros To Away Treble

LEXINGTON, KY–Life in general, and life with horses in particular, simply doesn't dispense its favours with such an unstinting hand. Everybody understands that, and even an operation as lavishly resourced as Godolphin has over the years has experienced many moments of demoralization.

Charlie Appleby and his team, moreover, will be perfectly aware that others must be expected in future. Before the afternoon was out, indeed, their second runner had been thwarted in a desperate finish by their rivals at Ballydoyle. By barely a nose, then, Appleby was denied a fifth win from five consecutive Breeders' Cup starters–and duly found himself stranded on “just” seven winners overall from 13 runners. One day he will have to sit down and ask himself what on earth went wrong with the other six.

In the meantime, his record suggests a nearly surreal immunity to the trademark hazards of this business. Remember that last year he even achieved the memorable paradox of winning with a horse that had been scratched. And whether or not he can maintain the Midas touch on Saturday, or in future years, Appleby will surely never forget a moment that beautifully condensed his Breeders' Cup journey to this point.

That came after the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint when William Buick, having picked off his rivals from last place with nearly mechanical dash, in turn began plucking cremon yellows from the blanket over the withers of Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and throwing them into the air as they were led into the winner's circle. The flowers floated down out of the blue like autumn leaves and, strewn in the wake of the horse, were trampled into the dirt track as though their path was literally paved with gold.

And, to a degree, that was the case for all three European winners on a card that nowadays plays very congenially to their strengths. The expansion of the turf program at the Breeders' Cup may have terminally eroded international competition on dirt, to the extent that Arazi–author of the most memorable juvenile performance in the history of this meeting–would nowadays almost certainly have stuck to the grass. Whether that amounts to a net loss or gain is a debate for another day. As it was, with a fairly seamless climate further conspiring in their cause, all three races on “the weeds” were duly harvested by the two great powerhouses of the European Turf.

They had claimed one apiece, Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) picking up the gauntlet from Mischief Magic in the GI Juvenile Fillies Turf, until squaring up for a decider in the GI Juvenile Turf. Aidan O'Brien and his Ballydoyle team doubtless felt that they were overdue a break, if only in terms of their rivalry at this carnival, and it duly came as Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) stole a decisive march on Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) after both had been craving the first split.

O'Brien has ample mitigation in hardly matching Appleby's ratio across a much longer history at this meeting, not least in having sometimes brought horses here as a speculative postscript to a long season in Europe. Appleby, conversely, was fortunate to launch his career even as the turf program was opening up, and quickly learned to target specific types at a vulnerable sector of the American talent pool.

All the same his staggering record here is, of course, but one dimension of the way Appleby has turned round the fortunes of his stable after his predecessor had brought it to a humiliating nadir. No need to dwell on that, now, but it is worth reminding ourselves that his promotion from anonymity, to many, had seemed a rather stubborn reaction to the bitter crisis of 2013. Appleby had learned his vocation almost exclusively within the stable, and the Sheikh's solution represented a striking vote of confidence in the ability of his team to regroup.

Nobody should be deceived that there was any complacency in the camp. After this latest vindication of Appleby's appointment, however, Godolphin managing director Hugh Anderson stressed that it did not really appear a gamble at the time. For one thing, everyone could see that this was an exceptional horseman. Barely less important, however, was the sense that the young man's innate modesty was shored up by attributes tailormade for such onerous responsibility. Anderson speaks of his “unflappable” temperament, of an “eternally cheerful” outlook and, above all, an exemplary touch with his staff.

So it is that he has arrived here having retained the trainers' championship, those laurels this time being shared by Buick. Besides their talent, both are united by an understated sense that the best way to manifest their gratitude for opportunities received is via deeds rather than words.

It was characteristic, as such, that Buick was so reluctant to accept much personal credit for what appeared, on the face of it, a really flamboyant ride on Mischief Magic. Appleby, who has developed such an acute instinct for the type of horse best adapted to the hustle and bustle of the racing environment over here, had been confident that it would really stimulate Mischief Magic. Sure enough, Buick could even be seen taking a pull at the reins as his mount surged through the traffic turning in. By Buick's own account, however, the horse had made all the decisions for him: unable to go the early pace, he began to engage even as the pace told on the leaders, and then switched leads with alacrity to settle the issue. The way the pair sidestepped their way through, nimbly moving in and out, seemed to obey a choreography as inexorable as a country dance.

A footnote of congratulation, by the way, to connections of runner-up Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}). They were deflated by Mischief Magic's astonishing late pounce, but with a filly this Grade I placing was a huge “win” all day long—and a fine piece of training.

But the man of the day was O'Brien, adding another increment to the legacy he has long been creating for the breed. With America waiting to anoint a horse with greatness after six career starts, let's remember the collective debt of future breeders to the regime developed between O'Brien and his patrons. Ballydoyle horses have their potential and genetic wares “proved” in a way today wholly unfathomable to most horsemen this side of the water.

Meditate was a natural, winning on debut on Apr. 10. She completed a hat-trick at Royal Ascot, while this was her third Group 1/Grade I start of the autumn. Victoria Road, conversely, has been one of those O'Brien projects where you see a horse learn with each rite of racetrack passage: though up and running in May, he took five attempts to break his maiden before the bulb really switched on.

For all his mastery, O'Brien has always shown a nearly pathological dread of vanity. They may serve very different masters, who set their different agendas in camps far apart, but the two trainers who dominated proceedings here on the turf are united by a scrupulous and authentic emphasis on teamwork.

True, one might doubt whether both would share too earnestly the curious tradition, unique in the racing year, that they have travelled here in common cause, as members of “Team Europe”. Be that is it may, however, this was a day when all Europeans could agree that the grass really is greener on the other side.

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Exceed And Excel’s Mischief Magic Impresses At Kempton

Back in the spotlight after administering a 6 1/2-length trouncing to overmatched rivals in a six-furlong novices' heat at Newmarket last month, Godolphin's homebred 2-year-old colt Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}–Veil Of Silence {Ire}, by Elusive Quality) was in similarly destructive mood in Saturday's G3 Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Sirenia S. at Kempton. He had earlier debuted with a third behind subsequent G2 Richmond S. victor Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) over Goodwood's sharp six furlongs in May before breaking through, tackling the same distance, at Newmarket towards the end of July in his penultimate start. The eventual winner was drawn widest of a reduced field of 10 and found a comfortable rhythm in rear, with just one behind, through halfway. Nudged along to close approaching the quarter-mile marker, the 11-5 favourite engaged turbo down the outside and powered by all but one of his rivals in impressive fashion to win, going away, by two lengths from Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for a career high.

“It was a great ride by Pat [Dobbs] and the horse is going the right way,” commented Charlie Appleby. “The [G1] Middle Park [at Newmarket] will be the next step all being well.” Dobbs added, “He didn't jump brilliantly so I didn't have much option but to drop in. I was always travelling, but when I gave him a squeeze there was plenty of horse left and we got there too soon. He's got a very good turn of foot and we picked them off quickly. He's got a good head on his shoulders, he's relaxed and will get seven furlongs. I'm not sure how far he can go, but he's definitely going in the right direction.”

Magic Mischief is the 10th of 11 foals and one of six scorers out of an unraced half-sister to three stakes performers, headed by G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Ibn Khaldun (Dubai Destination), and to the dam of G2 Park Hill S. victrix and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. second Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}). He is a full-brother to G3 Prix Eclipse victor Sound And Silence (GB) and a yearling filly. The February-foaled homebred bay's second dam, G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is one of six black-type performers produced by G1 Prix de la Foret victrix Brocade (GB) (Habitat) and thus a full-sister to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning sire Barathea (Ire). Descendants of Brocade also include elite-level performers Free At Last (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), Coretta (Ire) (Caerleon), Talmada (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Berlin Berlin (GB) (Dubai Destination).

Saturday, Kempton, Britain
UNIBET 3 UNIBOOSTS A DAY SIRENIA S.-G3, ÂŁ70,000, Kempton, 9-3, 2yo, 6f (AWT), 1:12.87, st/sl.
1–MISCHIEF MAGIC (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Veil of Silence (Ire), by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Brocade (GB), by Habitat
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-Pat Dobbs. ÂŁ39,697. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $71,324. *Full to Sound And Silence (GB), GSW-Fr, MSW & GSP-Eng, SP-US, $244,281. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Believing (Ire), 126, f, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Misfortunate (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (70,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; 115,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Jane Addams); B-M Mullen & Cloneymore Farm (IRE); T-George Boughey. ÂŁ15,050.
3–Malrescia (Ire), 126, f, 2, Acclamation (GB)–Tecla (Ire), by Whipper. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€140,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV). O-Mrs A G Kavanagh; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S M Rogers (IRE); T-George Boughey. ÂŁ7,532.
Margins: 2, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.20, 40.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Rumstar (GB), Minnetonka (Ire), Rogue Lightning (Ire), Knebworth (GB), New Definition (GB), Flag Flying (GB), Kyeema (GB). Scratched: Jiffy Boy (GB), Miami Girl (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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