Into Mischief’s Man Of Promise Bolts Up At Meydan

Godolphin's progressive 5-year-old gelding Man Of Promise (Into Mischief) made a favourable impression when winning the Listed Dubai Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths off a 10-month break on Jan. 28, and he built on that promise in a big way on Saturday when running away with the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, the local prep for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night.

Man Of Promise raced prominently on the stands' side rail as the field broke into three groups up the Meydan straight. William Buick was still sitting quietly aboard the bay as many of the other riders had gotten busy on their mounts approaching the 400, and Man Of Promise cruised to the lead with relative ease passing the 300. It was at the furlong marker, however, that he hit another gear, sprinting clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths from last year's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}), who made a good seasonal debut while closing quickly to finish 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Alkaraama (War Front). Last year's G1 Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) beat just one home after racing prominently early.

Man Of Promise, at $170,000, was the least expensive of 24 yearlings purchased by Godolphin during its 2018 Keeneland September buying spree. He is still lightly raced, having run just eight times thus far, but has found a new lease on life since being gelded and making Meydan his home last winter. His local debut was a three-length win in the Listed Dubai Sprint last February, after which he was eighth in both this race and the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, and he has gone to the next level this season.

Pedigree Notes

Man Of Promise was conceived when American supersire Into Mischief was standing for $45,000 in 2016-he is up to $250,000 this year. Man Of Promise is the fifth foal out of the winning Involved (Speightstown), who has a 2-year-old filly from the first crop of Into Mischief's half-brother Mendelssohn, and has this year produced a colt foal by Into Mischief's son Audible after being barren last year. Involved is a great-granddaughter of the GI Santa Barbara H. winner The Very One (One For All), herself a half-sister to French Classic winner Soviet Star.

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
NAD AL SHEBA TURF SPRINT (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES SKYCARGO)-G3, $250,000, Meydan, 3-5, NH3yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.14, gd.
1–MAN OF PROMISE, 126, g, 5, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Involved, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Winner's Ticket, by Jolie's Halo
3rd Dam: Ticket to Paradise, by Alydar
1ST GROUP WIN. ($170,000 yrl '18 KEESEP) O-Godolphin;
B-Betz, Magers, CoCo Equine, Kidder, Lamantial & Davidson
(KY); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. $150,000. Lifetime
Record: 8-4-1-1, $409,417. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
   Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–A Case of You (Ire), 126, c, 4, Hot Streak (Ire)–Karjera (Ire), by
Key of Luck. (€3,000 yrl '19 GOFOCT) O-Gary Devlin;
B-Limestone & Tara Studs (IRE); T-Adrian McGuinness.
$50,000.
3–Alkaraama, 126, h, 6, War Front–Agreeable Miss, by
Speightstown. ($600,000 wnl '16 KEENOV) O-Shadwell; B-Frank
Hutchinson (KY); T-Musabbeh Al Mheiri. $25,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 2HF, HD. Also Ran: Jadwal (GB), Motafaawit (Ire), Parsifal (NZ), Acklam Express (Ire), Lord of the Lodge (Ire), Story of Light (Ire), Line of Departure (Ire), Mutaraffa (Ire), Jash (Ire), Final Song (Ire), Summerghand (Ire), Emaraaty Ana (GB), Dahawi (GB). Scratched: Royal Crusade (GB), Zamaani (Ire), Taneen, Live in the Moment (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Buick Off Saudi Cup Mounts After Covid Positive

Godolphin jockey William Buick, who was slated to ride the Jan. 21 G2 Al Fahidi Fort hero Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saturday of the Saudi Cup meeting, has tested positive for Covid and will be off his mounts in Riyadh on Saturday. Also due to ride Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H., Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) in the G3 Saudi Derby and Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) in the G3 Riyadh Cup Sprint, Buick missed several rides at Meydan on Friday, as well. In Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium S., Buick had been booked for Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but Andrea Atzeni finished second aboard the Godolphin runner instead.

For his Saudi Cup mounts, James Doyle will deputise for Buick on Naval Crown and Siskany, while Frankie Dettori has been called up to ride Noble Truth. In place of Doyle on Happy Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the 1351 Cup Sprint is David Egan. The regular rider of 2021 Saudi Cup victor Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Egan also picks up the ride on Copano Kicking for Buick in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Ginobili (Munnings) will be forced to miss the Sprint after emerging from his second gallop at King Abdulaziz unsatisfactorily. Trainer Richard Baltas told Daily Racing Form that the 5-year-old was lame in his left for, but that the first set of X-rays taken were negative. Results of a second set of images were pending and Baltas surmised that Ginobili would undergo a nuclear scan upon his return to America.

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Hot Rod Charlie Makes Flying Start To Dubai Campaign

In bringing their star colt to Dubai in mid-January, to prep over the track for the $12million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, the team behind Hot Rod Charlie was following a tried and tested route.

Curlin, successful in 2008, and California Chrome in 2016, both arrived from the US and took in local preps before winning the big one. Now, Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie has taken the first step along the same road, winning Group 2 Maktoum Challenge Round 2 [Presented by Longines Record], over 1 3/16 miles, 100 meters short of the (1 1/4-mile) World Cup trip.

He didn't have it easy, however. Ridden by William Buick, deputizing for Flavien Prat, the son of Oxbow broke well from his post in three and made the lead, but was pushed all the way by Al Nefud, ridden by Ryan Moore. Turning for home, there was a brief moment when that rival threatened, but when asked for his effort, Hot Rod Charlie responded in spades. He eventually crossed the line, ears pricked, 5 1/4 lengths clear of Al Nefud, who made a fine Group race debut for trainer Bhupat Seemar.

“Doug and his team said he's a very versatile horse,” Buick said of Hot Rod Charlie. “He can run a mile, a mile and a quarter. He's got enough pace for a mile and he can be on the pace. He's a real joy to ride and he's a very intelligent horse. He really responds to the message you give him.

“From where we were drawn in three I thought we would be on the pace and if something wanted to go crazy then we'd let them go. But it was smooth – he ran hard and I was very happy with what he did. He's adapted very well to coming over here and obviously, the team had him in great shape.

“I was confident that he would respond for me but obviously when Al Nefud put the pressure on we turned it on. In these good dirt races you never get them handed to you that's why you need a good horse like this.” 

With part-owners Patrick O'Neill and Bill Strauss in Dubai to cheer on Hot Rod Charlie, trainer O'Neill was relieved to get the first part of the job done.

“It's been such a great journey; let's hope there are more chapters to come,” said the dual Kentucky Derby-winning handler. “We took a little different approach with him; we didn't train him too hard going into this. However, we knew we had plenty of time to get him ready for the Dubai World Cup.

“He's a horse who is just loaded with class. It was a strong field tonight, but William rode him with a ton of class and a ton of confidence.

“He wasn't really expecting to go to the front but he said he [Hot Rod Charlie] 'just pulled me there and he was comfortable doing it. The pace wasn't overly hot and he kicked on when he needed to.

“Next stop; the end of March, for sure.”

Hot Rod Charlie's win was the second of the night for O'Neill, who allayed some nerves thanks to the success of Get Back Goldie in the six-furlong Oud Metha Stakes [Presented by Longines Master Collection], on dirt.

Also ridden by Buick, the homebred son of Goldencents came with a late run from the back of the field in the 3-year-old contest, denying Little Afrodite, who looked booked for first place under Ray Dawson.

“All credit to William Buick; what a great ride he gave Get Back Goldie,” said O'Neill. “[Assistant] Leandro Mora and the rest of the crew worked hard to get the horse to settle in.”

Despite this win being over the sprint trip, O'Neill has lofty plans for the colt, for whom this was the first win on dirt.

“We're dreaming big time here. As long as the horse stays injury-free, the UAE Derby is definitely a dream target for him”, he added. “It's a little bit ambitious but he's built that way.”

It was a night to remember for Buick, who also landed the closing Group 2 Balanchine Stakes [Presented by Longines Evidenza] on Creative Flair for his regular boss, Charlie Appleby.

A Listed winner last season, the 4-year-old was making her UAE debut and was always close to the pace from her wide draw in nine. She then showed plenty of tenacity to hold off the late-closing Pevensey Bay, looking to follow up her Cape Verdi win and Dubai Love.

It was a fourth Balanchine in a row for Appleby, who was absent due to being in the UK. It was left to Buick to sum up the race, and he praised his filly's bravery.

“That was her first run for a while, but she's all heart and she deserved that,” he said.

“She's got some good form in Europe and she ran some good races in America towards the end of last year. I don't know whether going to the States again will be the plan.”

One race that didn't go Buick's way was the Jumeirah Classic, over a mile on turf. He rode the Appleby-trained New Science, sent off the hot favourite due to some strong UK form. However, it was stablemate Sovereign Prince who took the win, his second in Dubai, making the most of race fitness for a smooth length and a quarter win under James Doyle. Mr Professor, trained in the UK by Alice Haynes, was second, with New Science a non-threatening third.

“He won the trial for this race which he did nicely,” said Doyle. “It was a bit of a bunched finish, but he hadn't run for some time so he definitely stepped forward from that. Going into this race we felt he would be a better horse today than he was in the trial.”

Hot Rod Charlie might not have been the only World Cup aspirant to win on the card, as Hypothetical put forward his case with a dominant win in the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes [Presented by Longines Conquest.]

Fourth in last year's World Cup, Hypothetical was virtually pulled up on his reappearance last month but was back to his best here. Ridden by Mickael Barzalona, winning this race for a record third time, the Salem Bin Ghadayer-trained 5-year-old put up a fine front-running display and saw off the closing Strongconstitution, by 3 1/4 lengths.

“We didn't know which horse to follow so we decided to make it (the running) on our own,” said Barzalona. “I'm glad to see him going the right way again. I think he's a lot more mature now, so he could go back over ten [furlongs] but he's very professional over a mile.

“For sure, the Dubai World Cup will be a very hard race but we've first got to see how he runs on Super Saturday.”

On a brilliant night for team O'Neill, they collected another silver medal in the 1 3/16-mile Al Bastakiya Trial [Presented by Longines SaintImier], on dirt. Their Kantaro D'Oro looked like he'd made a winning move under Antonio Fresu but was passed close home by Withering, who was given a patient ride by Adrie De Vries and collected a first win at the seventh attempt.

De Vries passed the credit for the win to trainer Fawzi Nass, saying: “He wasn't the fastest away, but he jumped a little better than last week. He traveled nicely into the race. I was hands full into the turn and I was just looking for the gaps.

“All credit to Fawzi, because it was my choice to run him in a maiden and he said he would stay, he had a lot of faith in the horse. Good job.”

Unlucky there, Fresu had earlier picked up a win of his own when Rajeh ran out the convincing winner of the opening G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 [Presented by Longines Dolce Vita] for Purebred Arabians.

Making just his second local start after racing in Qatar, the Musabbeh Al Mheiri trainee traveled on the pace and easily dispatched the chasing Dergham Athbah.

The winner was greeted by owner Basil Masoud Sakeh Al Kasbi, who said: “When I bought this horse the plan was to bring him to Dubai with the ambition being to go for the Group 1 races. One of the goals has been achieved today and we're looking forward to more wins.

“We have a lot of hope in this horse and the Dubai Kahayla Classic is the dream.”

The Carnival resumes next Friday, February 11th, when the G2 Singspiel Stakes and G3 UAE 2000 Guineas are the features.

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Naval Crown Asserts His Class in Al Fahidi Fort

by Alan Carasso

Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) provided his all-conquering sire his third winner in the last four runnings of the G2 Al Fahidi Fort S. and 143rd worldwide scorer at graded/group stakes level with a deceptively easy success in the seven-furlong test Friday at Meydan.

Away alertly from a low barrier, the athletic bay found himself forwardly placed and was locked away at the fence as the veteran Ajwad (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) was ridden for speed from gate 13 and came across the field to lead at a good gallop. Quietly ridden on the bend by William Buick while holding his position, Naval Crown was waited with in upper stretch, muscled his way into the clear with about two furlongs to race, hit the front going well at the 200-metre peg and remained comfortably in front as Story of Light (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) chased him home in vain. Shadwell's Zainhom (Street Cry {Ire}) rallied from near the tail of the field to grab third.

Multiple Group 3-placed in France at two, Naval Crown was a creditable third in a single try on the dirt in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas last February before bouncing back to take the Listed Meydan Classic going a mile over the local turf three weeks hence. Beaten less than three lengths into fourth by Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) as a 50-1 chance in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in May, Naval Crown backed up to this trip to be runner-up in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot June 19 and was last seen struggling home eighth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville July 11.

In a post-race interview, winning trainer Charlie Appleby said he'd be inclined to pass the upcoming stc1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia next month, a race won last year by Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and instead take in the 1400-metre $300,000 Ras Al Khor conditions race on Super Saturday Mar. 5 as a steppingstone to his 4-year-old season in Europe.

Pedigree Notes:

Naval Crown is the first foal from his dam, winner of the Listed Prix Amandine for Andre Fabre at Maisons-Laffitte in 2016 before visiting Dubawi for her first cover the following spring. Come Alive is one of five winners from eight to the races for her dam Portrayal, a listed winner and Group 3-placed in England and twice place at group level in France, including a third to the once-beaten, dual Classic winner Divine Proportions (Kingmambo) in the G2 Prix Robert Papin in 2004. Come Alive is represented by a 2-year-old Lope de Vega (Ire) filly and a yearling filly by Shamardal.

Friday, Meydan, Dubai
AL FAHIDI FORT PRESENTED BY MINA BY AZIZI-G2, $180,000, Meydan, 1-21, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:22.02, gd.
1–NAVAL CROWN (GB), 126, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Come Alive (GB) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Portrayal, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: True Glory (Ire), by In the Wings (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. $108,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, MGSP-Fr, 12-3-2-5, $287,402. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Story of Light (Ire), 126, g, 5, Dark Angel (Ire)–Beautiful Ending (GB), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Ahmad bin Harmash. $36,000.
3–Zainhom, 126, g, 8, Street Cry (Ire)–Kaseema, by Storm Cat. O-Shadwell Stable; B-Shadwell Farm LLC (KY); T-Musabbeh Al Mheiri. $18,000.
Margins: 1, SHD, NK.
Also Ran: Storm Damage (GB), Manjeer (Ire), Spirit of Light (Ire), Sanary (GB), Could Be King (GB), Land of Legends (Ire), Alkaamel (GB), Ajwad (GB), Garrulous (SAf), Ventura Rebel (GB), La Barrosa (Ire). Click for the Emirates Racing chart and the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

WATCH: Naval Crown proves too classy in Al Fahidi Fort

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