Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is keeping options open for his Listed UAE 1000 Guineas winner Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), with next week's G3 UAE Oaks and Saudi Derby both still on the table.
“She is entered in the UAE Oaks and also the Saudi Derby,” bin Suroor said. “She's in both races and we will keep options open. She is a good filly and unbeaten in Dubai. She won the Guineas Trial and also the Guineas under Frankie [Dettori]. She won both races really well and has come back good from her last race. We're looking forward to the future with her.”
Soft Whisper has not been worse than second in six starts and has won her last four straight. She took the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial on Jan. 7 by 2 1/2 lengths before winning the main event itself by seven three weeks later.
The first classic of the UAE season took place in the UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed) this Thursday at Meydan, held over one mile on the dirt. Godolphin's Saeed bin Suroor-trained Soft Whisper vied for favoritism with Al Rashid Stables' Doug Watson-trained Mnasek before the race.
What set up as a great matchup never manifested as Soft Whisper screamed home a dominant seven-length winner under stalk-and-pounce Frankie Dettori tactics, while Mnasek missed the break before closing to a distant second under Dane O'Neill. Watson-trained Super Chianti was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third under Pat Dobbs after racing greenly during the final three furlongs.
The final time was 1:38.67 and the winner landed her second race of the season, following a one-sided tally in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial three weeks ago. By Dubawi out of the Sea the Stars mare Placidia, the homebred gave Dettori his fourth win in the race this century and Bin Suroor his 12th. Bigger races may be on the horizon for the now four-time winner from six starts.
“She missed the kick last time, but this time she jumped really good into position and was always in control,” Dettori said. “When I kicked, she went–simply as that. I didn't have to do too much. She has a bright future. Saeed mentioned everything–Saudi (Derby), UAE Oaks, UAE Derby–who knows. When you win so impressively, you get excited and you think of big plans. I was just saying to Saeed that the last time I won a race this easily was probably Dubai Millennium in 2000. It took me 21 years to find one just as easy.
“That was good. We have big hopes for her. Maybe she didn't beat the best in the world, but the way she did it, you have to be impressed. We'll take one step at a time. Nothing has tested her today, so it would be wrong for me to say how good she is because I need some better competition, but at the moment everything is in the right place.”
“We got beat by a good horse on the night, there's no doubt about that,” O'Neill added about the runner-up. “We got a bit of kickback early on and they got a couple lengths on me on the turn, but when she saw daylight, she stayed on well. She's a timid little filly and likes a little bit of space and out of the kickback. She's a nice filly and she'll probably stay farther next time.”
Regarding Super Chianti, Dobbs added: “She was greener tonight than she was the first night. She travelled well, but when I went for her, she just stuck her head in the air and never went forward for me.”
The $1.5 million Saudi Derby is set for a similar one-turn, one-mile trip at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 20 in Riyadh, while the UAE Oaks (G3) over 1 3/16 miles on Feb. 18. The UAE Derby is slated for Dubai World Cup day, March 27.
The second meeting of the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival (DWCC) at Meydan on Thursday evening features the first Classic of the season, the 1600m (one mile) Listed UAE 1000 Guineas presented by Longines. Saeed bin Suroor has a phenomenal record in the 3-year-old fillies' race and is seeking a 12th success since landing the inaugural event with Muwakleh in 2001.
The master of nearby Al Quoz Stables relies on Godolphin homebred Soft Whisper, winner of the 1400m (seven furlongs) UAE 1000 Guineas Trial three weeks ago. Frankie Dettori, seeking a fifth win in the race and fourth for Bin Suroor, takes the mount, replacing Pat Cosgrave who was aboard in the trial.
Second in her first two career starts, the daughter of Dubawi has won three in a row and will be looking to extend that streak on Thursday.
Bin Suroor said: “Soft Whisper won twice in Britain last year and did well to win the trial after a slow start. The extra 200m should suit and we are expecting a big run.”
Doug Watson saddled Super Chianti and Mnasek, both winners on their only start to date. The latter did remarkably well to win her 1400m maiden five weeks ago having totally missed the break under Dane O'Neill who again rides. Pat Dobbs again partners stablemate Super Chianti, the pair victorious in a 1200m maiden ten weeks ago.
Watson said: “Both are in flying form at home and we are really looking forward to trying them in this better class of race having just won a maiden apiece.”
Nicholas Bachalard saddles Nayefah, runner-up to both Watson fillies in her two outings to date. The mount of Ryan Curatolo will attempt to gain revenge and Bachalard said: “We deliberately missed the trial to give her more time between races. “She has done herself no favours with slow starts both times, so hopefully she can break on terms this time.”
