8th-Meydan, AED175,000, Hcp., 3-8, NH & SH 3yo/up, 1400m, 1:29.95, ft. ELUSIVE TERRY (IRE) (c, 4, Raven's Pass–Bonding, by Violence) gave trainer Bhupat Seemar his fifth win of the evening while maintaining his perfect record at Meydan on Friday. A four-length winner of an Jebel Ali maiden on Jan. 27, the colt jumped a touch slow and was hustled up to contest the early pace. Glued to the rail, he applied pressure to My Kinda Day (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) on the turn. On top at the 400-metre marker, the 4-year-old held firm despite pressure from both sides and lifted to win by two lengths. “Drawn one, second start ever, first time at Meydan… he was good,” said Pat Cosgrave. “I thought he'd run his race at 300 metres but then he went on again–he's tough. I wouldn't be surprised if he's quite a good horse and if he goes a mile he'll be even better. He could keep improving and go out of handicaps at some stage, he's got no flaws.” Reflecting on an excellent night, Seemar added, “We came here with some good horses with good chances but it all has to drop right. It's a massive team effort, the guys at home do an excellent job and I just get to pick up the prizes.” Triple Venture (Elusive Quality) beat out Elraaed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by a nose for second. Bonding has an unraced 3-year-old full-sister named Haydarieh (Ire) (Raven's Pass), and colts by Belardo (Ire) and U S Navy Flag born in 2022 and 2023, respectively. GIII Santa Ysabel S. winner and GI Las Virgenes S. third Itty Bitty Pretty (El Corredor) is under the third dam. Sales history: €123,962 2yo '22 GOFMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, AED. Click for the ERA chart and video.
O-Diarmuid Clohessy. B-ABCL Partners (Ire). T-Bhupat Seemar.
Having endured a sub-optimal trip when only sixth to Victor the Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) in defence of his crown in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup Jan. 26–not to mention some post-race veterinary issues–reigning champion sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) will look to atone for that effort in Sunday's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, a race he also took out 12 months ago.
The 5-year-old, victorious in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December, was found to be lame in his right fore the morning after the Centenary Sprint, but turned in a smooth runner-up effort in a Feb. 20 trial over the dirt track and should be a warm item Sunday. James McDonald, who was in the saddle last year, looks for another hit-and-run Group 1 in Hong Kong.
California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) made the running and Lucky Sweynesse did the chasing in last year's Queen's Silver Jubilee, but the pacesetter couldn't quite see it out and settled for a sound second. The 6-year-old was very good in carrying 135 pounds to victory in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy over a mile on seasonal debut back in October, but those weight-bearing efforts can exact a toll, as he is winless in his last four, including a fourth in the G1 Stewards' Cup over the metric mile Jan. 21. A trip to the desert for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint could be in the offing with a return to something approaching his best form.
“He's entered for Dubai and we'll decide whether we will go depending on how he performs on Sunday,” said Cruz. “We hope for a good result.”
Zac Purton opted for California Spangle over Lucky Sweynesse last year and gets a leg up on Beauty Joy (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) from Tony Cruz Sunday afternoon. After besting Beauty Joy (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) in November's G2 Jockey Club Mile, Beauty Eternal was an even sixth behind Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile and exits a solid second to the Dubai-bound Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the Stewards' Cup.
Cruz is a three-time winner of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, most notably with the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) back in 2005.
4th-Meydan, AED175,000, Cond., NH & SH 3yo, 1900m, 1:58.65, ft. GUNS AND GLORY (c, 3, Gun Runner–Baby Go Far {Brz} {G1SP-Brz}, by Elusive Quality) dominated from the front end at Meydan in his third start on Friday. Once the gates flew, Tadhg O'Shea drove his mount to the front and the duo set a decent pace past the grandstand and into the backstretch. In a very easy rhythm, Guns And Glory set sail for home at the 500-metre mark, and his rivals had no answer, with the bay drawing off to win by 12 lengths in an impressive fashion. Elyabri (American Pharoah) closed to take second, a neck to the good of Fayadh (Liam's Map). “His rider [Jennifer Ferguson] fell off him yesterday and has a broken leg, because he's a bit of a handful and spends a lot of time on his hind legs,” said O'Shea. “I said to [owner] Dr Hay, I thought he'd win the first time, but he needed that run and then was disappointing last time. At the start of the season, I thought he was a UAE Derby horse and I'm sure if the invitation comes they'd love to take it up.” Hay added, “He was a bit babyish last time, but tonight he's shown that he's come on a ton. I think with a performance like that he deserves a run [in the Derby.]” Picked up for $160,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale before making €543,210 from Stephen Hillen/Dr. Hay to top the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale last March, the colt was fourth to Military Artist (Munnings) when unveiled on Dec. 1, and improved a spot to third upped from 1600 metres to this track and trip behind Elyabri on Feb. 2. His dam was placed at Group 1 level in Brazil, and she foaled a full-sister to the winner in 2022. Her latest is a Justify yearling filly, and she was covered by Epicenter last spring. Baby Go Far is a daughter of G1 Grande Premio Marciano de Aguiar Moreira heroine Linda Rafaela (Brz) (Bin Ajwaad {Ire}), and a half-sister to G1 Brazilian Oaks winner Viva Rafaela (Brz) (Know Heights {Ire}). Sales history: $160,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; €543,210 2yo '23 GOFMAR. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-1, AED131,250. Click for the ERA chart and video.
O-Mrs Fitriani Hay. B-Stud TNT, LLC (KY). T-Bhupat Seemar.
GUNS AND GLORY
€543,000 @goffs1866 Dubai Sale grad surely gets invited to the G2 UAE Derby after this demolition job. #DWC24
Isle of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) found his best stride entering the final 200 metres and ran out a comfortable winner of Friday's $200,000 Listed King's Cup to secure the 'Triple Crown' for Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa's Victorious Racing and trainer George Scott.
Winner of a Bahrain Turf Series race Dec. 8 and second in another three weeks later, Isle of Jura saw his rating rise out of the eligibility range for those valuable handicaps and made his next start in the Listed Crown Prince's Cup Feb. 2. Duly obliging there for a first black-type success, he scooped the $135,000 Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup a fortnight later and was going for the sweep in the King's Cup.
The commonly owned, but Fawzi Nass-trained Rollajam (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), ostensibly a pacemaker for Isle of Jura, bombed the start, but rolled forward with a rush to take up the running and opened a double-digit margin on his rivals down the back. Isle of Jura raced in about fifth position and one off the fence with cover, but still had plenty of ground to make up on the leader turning in. The hulking bay took time to hit top gear, but began to bridge the gap in earnest approaching the final furlong and pulled clear from there as Sovereign Spirit (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Panning for Gold (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) ran on for the minor prizes.
“This ranks as the highlight of my career to date, miles ahead of anything else. It's unbelievable,” the winning trainer commented. “The King's Cup is the pinnacle of racing here in Bahrain. What a wonderful horse, he really is a trier.”
Added jockey Callum Shepherd: “What a magic winter this horse has given us and for it to culminate in this race is huge. He's had to overcome adversity here, being virtually knocked over on the first bend. I'm enormously grateful to His Highness Sheikh Nasser, I am so pleased we could do this for him. It was his ambition to win the three races, the 'Triple Crown', and it takes some doing.
“I'd also like to give enormous credit to Rosie Jessop who's ridden him every day out here and the girls who have looked after him. They have carried out and implemented George's plans to the letter and they have been faultless in doing so.”
Said Jessop, who has jumped aboard Isle of Jura in his work over the course of the last three months: “I am going to miss him dearly. He's been the life and soul of my season this year. I'm just so happy and he's made it a magical time for us.”
Isle of Jura returns to Europe for a pattern campaign over the summer.
The well-related Isle of Jura is out of a daughter of French listed-winning 2002 G1 Pouliches runner-up Firth of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), whose son Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) led home a Godolphin 1-2 in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. She is also the dam of the stakes-winning and G1 St James's Palace S. second Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}) and Etive (Elusive Quality), a listed winner in Germany. This is also the family of Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), popular winner of the G1 Metropolitan H. at Randwick last September. Falls of Lora is also represented by a 2-year-old Night of Thunder (Ire) colt and a yearling colt by Dubawi.
Real World Back To Winning Ways
It had been a stretch of 12 consecutive outs for Godolphin's classy Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) dating back to his victory in the 2022 G2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan. The 7-year-old earned his first placing since when third to Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in Qatar Feb. 17 and snapped the skid with an authoritative victory in Friday's $80,000 Listed Al Methaq Mile.
Ridden forward by Kevin Stott, the veteran went to the front with better than 200 metres to travel and proved not for catching from there, defeating Wowzers (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) by a comfortable 2 1/2-length margin.
“Last time Real World ran well in Doha in Qatar, and then he worked very well last week and back at a mile, which is the best trip for him, I was confident he would run well. That was good to see,” said trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
KING'S CUP-Listed, $200,000, Sakhir, 3-8, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:31.50, gd.
1–ISLE OF JURA (GB), 128, g, 4, New Approach (Ire)–Falls of Lora (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire). (£150,000 HRA '23 TATMAR). O-Victorious; B-Godolphin; T-George Scott; J-Callum Shepherd; $120,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-0, $287,164. *Full to Cascadian (GB), MG1SW-Aus, G1SP-Fr, $5,925,891; half to Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GISW-Can, SW-Eng, $236,981.
2–Sovereign Spirit (GB), 125, g, 4, Le Havre (Ire)–Shutka (Fr), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€75,000 Ylg '21 ARQOCT; 40,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Al-Afoo Racing; B-J P Dubois; T-Jaber Ramadhan; J-Soufiane Saadi; $40,000.
3–Panning for Gold (Ire), 125, g, 4, Galileo Gold (GB)–Sweet Temptation (Ire), by Amadeus Wolf (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€18,000 Ylg '21 GOFOCT; £115,000 2yo '22 GOFAPR; 85,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-Rossenarra Bloodstock Ltd; T-Fawzi Nass; J-Neil Callan; $20,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, NO. Click for the Bahrain Turf Club chart.
AL METHAQ MILE-Listed, $80,000, Sakhir, 3-8, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:34.30, gd.
1–REAL WORLD (IRE), 126, g, 7, Dark Angel (Ire)–Nafura (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Kevin Stott; $48,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-UAE at 7-9.5f, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, GSW-Fr & UAE, 23-7-3-3, $896,845. *1/2 to Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Eng, $123,978.
2–Wowzers (GB), 126, g, 5, Kodiac (GB)–Vallado (Ire), by Clodovil (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (65,000gns RNA Ylg '20 TATNOV; 110,000gns HRA '22 TATAUT). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-Wood Hall Stud; T-Fawzi Nass; J-Hector Crouch; $16,000.
3–Mehmento (Ire), 126, g, 6, Mehmas (Ire)–Invincible Me (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (£14,000 RNA 2yo '20 TATJUL; 23,000gns HRA '22 TATFEB; 45,000gns HRA '22 TATJUL). O-Al-Afoo Racing; B-Tally-Ho Stud; T-Mohammed Hasan; J-Soufiane Saadi; $8,000.
Margins: 2HF, NK, HF. Click for the Bahrain Turf Club chart.
| RACE 03 • ELUSIVE TERRY | Bin Dasmal Group
| Al Wasl Race Day
| 27th January 2024
