Gamilati prevails in 1000 Guineas, Hitchens wins Al Shindagha Sprint
02/03/2012
By Michele MacDonald
With a convincing performance in which she romped from last to first, Godolphin’s heavily favored Gamilati triumphed in the $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas on February 3 to make history as the first classic winner to represent her sensational young sire, Darley’s Bernardini.
On the same Dubai World Cup Carnival program at Meydan Racecourse, Irish Group 3 winner Hitchens battled Krypton Factor to the wire and won a thrilling renewal of the $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) by a short head.
Both Gamilati and Hitchens can be expected to play larger roles as the Carnival continues to unfold.
Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum attended the program and expressed delight with the effort by Darley-bred Gamilati, who was sent off at 2-5.
“This time Gamilati settled well. The first time she ran this year, she was getting used to the surface and was a bit nervous. The manner of her victory was a pleasant surprise,” he said. “Before today, she was going to go to Royal Ascot and not go for another classic, but now everything is open for her—the UAE Oaks (G3) (on February 23) and Newmarket (the English 1000 Guineas [G1] on May 6).”
Jockey Frankie Dettori performed one of his trademark flying dismounts after the 1600-meter (about one-mile) race, which Gamilati completed in 1:38.84 on the all-weather track rated standard.
“I was obviously very hopeful about Gamilati beforehand, but I did not expect that kind of performance,” Dettori praised.
Godolphin also claimed second in the race, with English stakes winner Pimpernel finishing 5 ½ lengths behind her stablemate as the 3-1 second choice after lacking room in the middle part of the stretch run. Alsindi finished third, another 2 ¼ lengths back in a field of six.
Gamilati’s victory marked the eighth in the UAE 1000 Guineas for Godolphin, whose other winners included subsequent multiple American Grade 1 winner Cocoa Beach, who was second in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) to Zenyatta. Gamilati has now won three of six starts, including the 2011 Cherry Hinton Stakes (G2) on turf at Newmarket, and has finished second twice.
In the Al Shindagha Sprint, 5-1 Hitchens and 6-1 Krypton Factor rated just off the early pace set by 6-5 favorite Captain Obvious, who rushed from his 11 post to grab the lead through the first quarter-mile in :24.30. But Hitchens, on the outside, and Krypton Factor, on the rail, swallowed the favorite in the stretch run and raced as a team to the wire, while eight-year-old mare Alo Pura rallied to gain third over a tiring Captain Obvious.
Hitchens’ time for the 1200 meters (about six furlongs) was 1:11.22. The seven-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Acclamation may be seen next in the $200,000 Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) over the same trip on Super Saturday, March 10, prior to the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) during the Dubai World Cup (G1) program on March 31.
Trainer David Barron celebrated his first win in Dubai with Hitchens and said: “He has been a great servant to us and this is a big win on the international stage for a lower-profile yard.”
Hitchens showed great class last year when third in the Darley July Cup (G1) to top European sprinter Dream Ahead, and he finished sixth, four lengths behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) winner Regally Ready, in the Nearctic Stakes (G1) at Woodbine.
In the final event of the program, trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni and Dettori followed up Gamilati’s win with a strong victory by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Fox Hunt, who was last seen finishing just 2 ½ lengths behind winner Dunaden in Australia’s Melbourne Cup (G1).
Fox Hunt stalked the early leaders and then surged past them to record his victory by 3 ¼ lengths in 3:01.54 for the 2810-meter (about 1 11/16-mile) handicap on a turf course rated good. The first-place prize of $90,000 boosted the career earnings of the five-year-old gelding by Dubawi to $408,355.
“That is my first time on the horse and he has done it well,” Dettori said of the 2011 Deutsches St. Leger (G3) winner. “He had some great form last year and hopefully has more to offer in 2012.”
Gamilati, Captain Obvious top 1000 Guineas, Al Shindagha Sprint
02/03/2012
By Michele MacDonald
Godolphin’s promising Bernardini filly Gamilati will try for classic glory in Dubai while Singapore-based Captain Obvious takes another step toward the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) during the February 3 program of the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
An average of 13 runners will contest the six races with first post at 6 a.m. EST at the spectacular Meydan Racecourse.
Gamilati has been made the 2-1 morning line favorite against a field of six rivals in the $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas for three-year-old fillies over 1600 meters (about one mile) on the all-weather track. Her stablemate Pimpernel also stands a strong chance as she has won a stakes and finished second in a Group 2 event in England.
Partnered by Frankie Dettori, Gamilati will break from post six while Pimpernel and Mickael Barzalona will start from post seven.
Alsindi, who chased Gamilati home in the 1000 Guineas Trial over 1400 meters on January 6, also is highly regarded in the select field and will again be ridden by Royston Ffrench as she breaks from post 2.
Captain Obvious is the 3-1 early choice in the $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) over 1200 meters (about six furlongs) on the all-weather track in one of the primary preps for the Golden Shaheen, a highlight of the $27-million Dubai World Cup (G1) program on March 31. Trained by the red-hot Steven Burridge, Captain Obvious won three stakes in Singapore last year, and the seven-year-old Australian-bred by Verglas easily captured a $100,000 allowance over course and distance during his Carnival debut on January 20.
Oscar Chavez will be back aboard Captain Obvious and they will start from post 11.
Two impressive Carnival winners will take on the favorite in the 14-horse Al Shindagha field: Krypton Factor, who has raced on January 21 and January 26 and was second in the former and victorious in the latter, and Addictive Dream, who won on both January 5 and January 12. Each is rated at 6-1.
An intriguing entry in the Al Shindagha is Rerouted, a Group 3 winner in England for Juddmonte Farms who was sold last fall and is making his first start for South African-based Mike de Kock. The four-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Stormy Atlantic will be steered by Christophe Soumillon.
Other intriguing names on the Carnival program include Zanzamar, an unlucky second in last year’s UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) and fourth by only 1 ¾ lengths in the $2-million UAE Derby (G2) following a stint in South Africa during which he was Group 1 placed. Also trained by de Kock, Zanzamar is the early 3-1 favorite in the first race, a $120,000 handicap over 1600 meters on the all-weather track, which has drawn a tough field of 14.
Other entries for that race include Group 1 winner Regal Parade and Reem, a filly who defeated males in last year’s UAE classic Al Bastikiya.
Fourteen turf sprinters will contest the fourth race, a $175,000 handicap over 1000 meters (about five furlongs) in a prep for the $1-million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on Dubai World Cup day. Mar Adentro, a competitive fourth in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (G1) on October 2, is the early choice at 3-1.
Musir Dominates in Al Rashidiya on way to Dubai Duty Free
01/26/2012
By Michele MacDonald
Jockey Christophe Soumillon believes that the versatile Musir is getting better with age, and the already accomplished six-year-old runner showed why on January 26 when he captured the $200,000 Al Rashidiya (G2) with ease.
“He again gave us a great impression tonight,” Soumillon exulted after guiding Musir to an eased down, one length win over Godolphin’s City Style in the featured Dubai World Cup Carnival event. “He just jumped out, settled nicely and quickened in the stretch.”
Musir's victory stamps him as a strong candidate for the $5-million Dubai Duty Free (G1) on the Dubai World Cup (G1) program on March 31 and follows his equally easy win in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round I (G3) over the all-weather track on January 12.
Trainer Mike de Kock has said Musir—a South African champion and Group 1 winner as a juvenile, a Dubai classic winner in 2010 and just 3 ½ lengths behind winner Victoire Pisa in the 2011 Dubai World Cup—is better on grass than other surfaces.
“I think he is good (on both all-weather and grass),” Soumillon said, adding that the son of Redoute’s Choice has overcome some niggling physical issues that hindered him during last year’s Carnival. “This year, he is a much, much better horse than last year.”
Sent off at 1-5, Musir topped an exacta payoff of $12 with City Style, an American-bred and raced City Zip gelding who had won his last two starts. Time on a course rated good was 1:54.
Italian-raced Marcret, last seen finishing third in a Group 2 stakes at Rome, set a dawdling pace of :28.9 and :54.5 and hung on for third, 3 ½ lengths further back. The slow pace did not hinder Musir, who stayed close early, but had to compromise 2011 Al Rashidiya and Dubai Duty Free winner Presvis, a confirmed late closer who finished fifth in his first start since May.
Before the race, trainer Luca Cumani had said Presvis, who went off at 5-1, was only about 90% fit as he aims to defend his Duty Free title. An earner of more than $6.5-million, Presvis is now eight, and Cumani also raised his age as a possible issue.
The rest of the Carnival program virtually belonged to the Godolphin team, as the stable won two races and sent out the winner of another for Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum on the six-race card.
Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor saddled two winners and the 1-2 finishers, Quick Wit and Fallen Idol, in the $150,000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Handicap on the turf.
Quick Wit, a three-time winner in England let go at 9-1, tracked the early pace of Moran Gra and then surged clear in the stretch to beat 9-5 Fallen Idol by 2 ½ lengths. Al Shemali, the 2010 winner of the Dubai Duty Free, burst down the stretch late to gain third in a good effort, spurring a $1 trifecta payoff of $373.60.
A five-year-old horse by Oasis Dream, Quick Wit covered the 2000 meters (about 1 ¼ miles) in 2:04.89 with jockey Silvestre De Sousa in the irons.
Frankie Dettori rode the other Godolphin winner, even-money choice African Story, who made easy work of a tough field in a $120,000 handicap over 1400 meters (a