Blue Point wo courtesy of Group 1 sprinter Blue Point, who locked horns with the David Hayes-trained Faatinah (Jim Crowley aboard) at the top of the straight to power clear with 300m left to run.
BLUE POINT easily wins the Group 2 $250,000 MEYDAN SPRINT (Dubai Racing Club|Erika Rasmussen)
The 5-year-old son of Shamardal made amends under William Buick for his second placing behind the late Ertijaal in last year’s edition in the process and provided handler Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin with a first win in the feature after finishing second in the last five renewals.
Australia’s Faatinah confiscated the lead from Mujaafy (Patrick Cosgrave) early on, with Blue Point settling midfield, before getting an easy tow into the final 600m by the Nicconi gelding, who stayed on well to finish five lengths behind the winner. Portamento (Fernando Jara) held his own for Ali Rashid Al Rayhi to take third, with Mike de Kock’s Mujaafy in fourth. Rebel Streak (Mickael Barzalona) and Johann Strauss (Royston Ffrench) completed the running order.
The Al Quoz (G1) over 1200m on Dubai World Cup night looms large, as the enigmatic King’s Stand Stakes (G1) winner has returned from Europe in solid form. The final time of the race was 56.52.
“It was a nice comeback opportunity for him and he did it very comfortably,” Buick said. “He did everything right. Lovely to see him come back like that. He has probably matured a bit and the biggest difference (from his last race here one year ago) is he is coming here now a Group 1 winner this time. He has proved himself and he feels like a very confident horse. No question about it.”
“He’s a nice horse, this fellow,” Appleby added. “Not having been fully tuned up, he ran well. This horse is going to come forward and come into his own this year. He’s a 5-year-old now and he’s a professional. William asked him to pick up and he ran a professional race. After this is the Al Quoz (Sprint on Mar. 30). He’s not overly exposed, really. Last year, he wasn’t over-raced. It’s going to be a fun season for him.”
“It was a good trip; a straight line. That one was too good,” Crowley said of Faatinah’s run.
Jara said: “It was a good trip. (Al Rayhi, trainer) told me to sit down and try to make one move and (Portamento) finished nice. He just ran a few days ago and it was hard competition. I think it was a really good effort and the boss brought him in good shape for this race.”
Cosgrave said: “It was a pleasing start back after a long time off. Obviously, he was thrown in the deep a bit today, but he equipped himself well. He ran ok, got a bit tired, but all around, everyone is pleased.”
Barzalona said: “He just ran alright. He needs cut in the ground. He just got beat by a better horse.”
Ffrench said: “Obviously he hasn’t run in a long time and he was very ring rusty; very slow away and over five furlongs it was all over too soon.”
$250,000 BALANCHINE (GROUP 2)
The 1800m turf Balanchine sponsored by gulfnews.com (G2) for the fairer sex confirmed a talented filly in Godolphin’s Poetic Charm. Completing the Cape Verdi (G2)—Balanchine (G2) double with a dominant 2¾-length win, the half-sister to Teofilo granted trainer Charlie Appleby another inaugural stakes victory on the night with William Buick aboard, after having taken the Meydan Sprint (G2) with Blue Point earlier on the card.
$200,000 FIREBREAK STAKES (GROUP 3)
Having finished third behind North America in the Al Maktoum Challenge R1 (G2) on Jan. 10, Muntazah got back to winning ways with an easy victory that hinted that a try at longer distances could be in the future. A first win in the race for both Doug Watson and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s retained jockey Jim Crowley, the 6-year-old son of Dubawi broke well from his outside draw and settled into a handy position for the first half of the race. The early pace was fast enough, with Heavy Metal pushed to the lead by Mickael Barzalona. He was tracked by Satish Seemar’s Behavioral Bias and Secret Ambition with opening sectionals of 24.23 (400m) and 46.58 (800m).
