Ed Marnane
The Charlie Appleby juggernaut rolls into Meydan on Super Saturday, the dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup at the end of the month, eight days after saddling a treble that took his tally to 21 wins (from 52 runners) in the UAE this season.
The Godolphin handler can start the night with a bang by winning the Jumeirah 1000 Guineas with Cinderella’s Dream, owned and bred by Godolphin. The daughter of Siyouni, off a five-month break, made a big impression on her UAE debut when easily winning the Jumeirah Fillies Classic.
She’s hard to oppose and will take plenty of beating.
Appleby, who has dominated the major prizes on turf at the Dubai Carnival, saddles warm favourite Star Of Mystery in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, a trial for the Al Quoz Sprint, on the Dubai World Cup undercard in four weeks.
The daughter of Kodiac has thrived in the Middle East this season, winning the Al Wasl Stakes before beating her elders in the Blue Point Stakes, Group 2. Star Of Mystery, a strong travelling filly who possesses a sharp turn of foot, will be hard to beat getting weight from her 14 rivals.
Later on in the card, Legend Of Time can complete a short price treble for Appleby in the Jumeirah Classic over 1800m on turf, the final event.
Winner of three of his four races and unbeaten at Meydan, he’s the class act of the race and hard to see getting turned over under regular pilot William Buick, who is operating at a remarkable 50% strike rate in the Emirates this season.
The absence of Doug Watson’s Dubai World Cup hope Kabirkhan in the Al Maktoum Classic has left the race wide open and US runner Clapton, trained by Chad Summers, could be the one to take advantage.
In the Al Maktoum Challenge, Clapton broke awkwardly, raced keenly and endured a wide trip when staying on one-paced to finish third behind Watson’s stable star five weeks ago. He was entitled to need the run having been absent since contesting the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.
The booking of William Buick is eye-catching and a bonus.
Bhupat Seemar saddles a four-strong challenge in his bid to record a first win in the Group 2 event, 12 months after saddling the runner-up Bendoog. Riding arrangements suggest Tadhg O’Shea-ridden Walk Of Stars is the pick of the quartet, but he could only finish a one-paced fifth behind Kabirkhan and will need to raise his game to reverse form with Clapton and the runner-up (Franz Strauss), his stable companion.
Franz Strauss, winner of two of his four races on dirt at Meydan, showed improved form in the Al Maktoum Challenge when fitted with first-time blinkers. He holds leading claims of going one better in the hands of Richard Mullen, who won the 2018 renewal aboard North America.
Jamie Spencer has been booked to ride progressive Nevershow Weakness, winner of his last three starts, all on dirt at Meydan. He’s a strong stayer and should go well, despite being done no favours with his draw in stall No 12.
Twelve months ago Bhupat Seemar won the Burj Nahaar, the prep for the Godolphin Mile, with Bold Discovery and the former champion trainer is keen to win this year’s renewal, saddling five of the 16 runners.
O’Shea, Seemar’s stable jockey, remains loyal to the Juddmonte-owned Laurel River, despite flopping badly in the Al Shindagha Sprint on his UAE debut following a 516-day break. He has plenty to prove now and makes little appeal.
Laurel River’s stable companions, Southern Artist and Royal Mews, have stronger claims and both ran well in the Firebreak Stakes over the same course and distance.
Hypothetical, winner of the aforementioned Firebreak Stakes, warrants respect as he will be fresher than most his rivals having only had two runs this season.
Swing Event, formerly trained by Andre Fabre, has thrived since joining Simon and Ed Crisford and switching to dirt, racking up a hat-trick of wins, all at Jebel Ali. He escapes a penalty for his latest win at Group 3 level, a career high.
I have reservations he will prove equally effective switching to dirt at Meydan as he likes to be dropped in and delivered fast and late, tactics that can be difficult to execute on Meydan’s main track.
Desert Wisdom, shock winner of the Burj Nahaar on the same two years ago, completes the shortlist. He has progressed with racing this season and his fourth behind Kabirkhan was encouraging.
Godolphin has a stranglehold on the Dubai City of Gold, winning eight of the last 10 renewals. The Group 2, over 2410m on turf, is a lead-up race for the Dubai Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup night.
Of the Godolphin-owned trio, all trained by Charlie Appleby, lightly raced Castle Way has the strongest credentials on his first start since being gelded and returning after a lengthy layoff.
He has won four of his seven races and was one of Appleby’s leading three-year-olds last year. He should enjoy a ground-saving trip drawn in stall No 4 and can punch his ticket for the Sheema Classic in four weeks’ time.
A maximum field of 16 have assembled for the Group 3 Ras Al Khor, of which three are trained in Europe. Godolphin had the last two winners and Noble Dynasty is respected on the back of a 469-day break for Appleby. Winner of half of his 10 races, he has a terrific record fresh and from a good draw holds leading claims.
Vafortino, the sole British challenger, looks to be a major player and chief threat to Noble Dynasty. Trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, he is the highest rated runner in the field, and won the Business Bay Challenge on his Meydan debut in December.
He was denied by Mysterious Night in the Al Fahidi Fort next time, when he was unlucky in running and had to be switched in the closing stages.
SELECTIONS
Race 1
10 RB RICH LYKE ME 13 UNLEASHED 1 AF ALWAJEL 9 RB FRYNCHH DUDE
Race 2
1 CINDERELLA’S DREAM 5 NADELIA 2 GEOLOGIST 4 LIGHTNING PARADISE
Race 3
4 HYPOTHETICAL 10 ROYAL MEWS 13 SWING VOTE 11 SOUND MONEY
Race 4
15 STAR OF MYSTERY 2 BATWAN 3 BILHAYL 8 PONNTOS
Race 5
9 CASTLE WAY 7 WARREN POINT 8 BOLD ACT 5 SOLID STONE
Race 6
4 DESERT WISDOM 5 FRANZ STRAUSS 3 CLAPTON 13 WALK OF STARS
Race 7
14 VAFORTINO 12 NOBLE DYNSTY 8 FORT PAYNE 2 CHANGING COLOURS
Race 8
4 LEADING SPIRIT 1 FREEDOM FIGHTER 7 MUBAKKER 9 RAWY
Race 9
5 LEGEND OF TIME 6 MUSICAL ACT 1 ATHAN 2 QUARTIER
BEST BET
Race 5 No 9 Castle Way
VALUE BET
Race 4 No 2 Batwan
BEST SWINGER
Race 7:14-Vafortino and 8-Fort Payne [Race 7]
JACKPOT
(Races 6 to 9)
R27
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5
Leg 2: 8, 12, 14
Leg 3: 1, 4, 7
Leg 4: 5