Ed Marnane
The Cape Verdi, named after Godolphin’s European Champion filly, takes centre stage on a bumper 10-race card at Meydan on Friday. The race, over 1600m on turf, carries Group 2 status with AED 850,000 (R3.8m) in prize money and was first run in 2004.
This year’s renewal sees the eagerly awaited UAE debut of former South African Champion Two-Year-Old Quid Pro Quo, winner of the Allan Robertson Championship and the Douglas Whyte Stakes, both Grade 1 races. She was sold 12 months ago to race for Team Valor International and was shipped to France, joining Jerome Reynier having been under the care of Barend Botes.
The daughter of Lance spent most of 2025 on the sidelines only returning to the track in the Prix Miss Satamixa (Listed) on Polytrack at Deauville last month. From an outside gate (No 15), she endured a tough, wide trip and to finish less than five lengths behind the winner Alva wasn’t a bad effort, especially off a 10-month break on her French debut.
She’s entitled to strip fitter for the run and should enjoy switching to turf. Rated 109, Quid Pro Quo is the highest rated runner in the field and clearly sets the standard. She has the services of leading local-based rider Adrie de Vries.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dubai Beach, a fast-finishing second behind Molaqab in a 16-runner handicap last week, makes a quick return and steps up in class under new rider Kieran Shoemark.
She has fitness on her side and can’t be ignored on her Group 2 debut on the back of a career-high effort.
Stable companion Dubai Treasure, the mount of Ray Dawson and Godolphin’s second runner, has a lofty rating of 107 but has to bounce back to her best after bitterly disappointing on her local debut in the Dubai Dash (Listed) last month.
She found little in the closing stages to finish a poor eight, beaten nearly 13 lengths. She had an excuse though, having reported to have bled.
Dubai Treasure was a progressive filly last year in England, winning handicaps at Lingfield and Goodwood before rounding off the season in style by winning (made all) the Boadicea Stakes (Listed) at Newmarket. She’s unproven over 1600m and is hard to fancy.
The pick of the undercard is the Cocoa Beach Stakes, restricted to three-year-old fillies, Race 8. Over 1600m on dirt, the race has attracted a field of 15 but it is a trappy event and hard to have a strong view. Favourites have a good record in the race, winning four of the past five renewals.
Labwah, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, gets a tentative vote in the hands of the red-hot Bernardino Pinheiro. She showed early speed when making all to defeat Star Mirage and 13 others in a minor event here last month.
She found plenty for pressure and showed a likeable attitude to open her account at the second time of asking. She can confirm form with the third (Tjareed) and provide bin Ghadayer with his second victory in the race in four years.
The card opens with a competitive 1400m handicap on turf in which the unexposed Daarkom is fancied to follow up his recent win at Abu Dhabi for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri, despite an awkward No 14 draw.
He caught the eye on his local debut in a competitive 16-runner handicap, leading close home under a patient ride from Antonio Fresu. By Exceed and Excel, he is open to plenty of improvement on just sixth start of his career.
Race 3, the opening division of the 1600m handicap on turf, Charlie Appleby drops unexposed Anno Domino, winner of two of his five races, in class after finishing midfield behind stable companion Mysterious Night in the Business Bay Challenge (Listed).
He has the assistance of William Buick, who is operating at a remarkable 38.9% strike rate in the UAE this winter and is the season’s leading rider at Meydan.
Race 9, the second division of the 1600m handicap on turf, is another competitive handicap on the card and two of the 14 runners are trained overseas, two-time course winner Silver Sword and Dividend.
The former never figured at the course seven days ago and makes little appeal on his fourth start in six weeks.
Dividend, a first runner in the UAE for British-based trainers Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole, was a progressive gelding last year and wasn’t beaten far in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, one of the most prestigious three-year-old handicaps on British racing calendar. Dividend is one to consider on his first appearance since being gelded.
Appleby has dominated turf handicaps at Meydan this season and is represented by lightly raced Cavallo Bay, the mount of William Buick. Winner of two of his seven races, he must concede weight to his 13 rivals on his first appearance since winning at Kempton 10 months ago.
Unlike most of his rivals, he is very unexposed and has more to offer.
BEST BET
Race 8 No 2 Labwah
VALUE BET
Race 1 No 8 Jumaira Bay
BEST SWINGER
Race 3: 1-Anno Domino and 3-Flight Plan
JACKPOT
(Races 4 to 7)
R72
Leg 1: 1, 6, 13
Leg 2: 1, 4, 8, 12
Leg 3: 1, 2
Leg 4: 2, 10, 14