Just as he had done in 2021, Lord Glitters laid claim to being the star of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, collecting a third Meydan Racecourse win in the Gr2 Singspiel Stakes on Friday evening.
The great grey actually made a minor piece of history in becoming the first horse to win back-to-back renewals of the 1800metre turf contest, coming from the back of the field in trademark style to secure the win under regular rider Danny Tudhope.
Only fourth in the Gr2 Al Rashidiya on his 2022 debut, trainer David O’Meara felt that Lord Glitters would improve for that run and he was right; the nine-year-old being a length too good for Royal Fleet and old foe Zakouski.
Lord Glitters does it again! (Pic – DHRIC)
“He means a lot to me and the team, so well done to everyone back at home,” said Tudhope. “He’s just as enthusiastic as ever and we did think he might just need his first run.
“They went a nice even gallop; there was no stop/start. He travelled so nice through it and when he does that you know he’s going to finish off well.”
Lord Glitters’ success was the first of this year’s Carnival for a British-trained horse, but it nearly came four races earlier when Alignak was just beaten in the Race Of Future Handicap, over 2410 m on turf. Trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter Saffie, the grey came with a storming run but couldn’t quite get to Godolphin’s Global Storm, who hung on by a length under William Buick.
That started off a Godolphin double as Saeed Bin Suroor also got in on the act, saddling Storm Damage for an impressive front-running victory in the new Listed Business Bay Challenge, over 1400metres on turf. Making just his sixth start, the son of Night Of Thunder has now won four of those and beat stablemate Mutafawwig by a length, under Pat Cosgrave.
“He’s a very smart horse but he’s not straightforward; he’s a bit quirky,” said Cosgrave. “All credit to Gary Peter who rides him out every day. He’s got him to relax, brilliantly.
“He’s very keen but he keeps going, which not many do. He won off 108 today, which was impressive. The next step is to get him back into Group company.”
The card staged two Group 3s, both of which went to jockey Antonio Fresu, in contrasting ways. First up was a remarkable last to first performance from Azure Coast in the UAE 2000 Guineas, over 1600metres on dirt. A winner in December when also emerging late, the Pavel Vaschenko-trained colt circled the whole field and denied the Uruguay-trained pair of Kiefer and Quality Boone by two lengths and a nose.
“I’ve been helping them a lot in the mornings, galloping these horses,” said Fresu. “I took my time; I didn’t ask him too much in the beginning. The horse only really started to get going in the last two, three furlongs, but I was really easy in the last furlong.”
The UAE Derby, over 1900 m on 26 March now looks the natural objective for Azure Coast, who would have the option of the Listed Al Bastakiya, on March 5th, on the way.
Fresu’s other win came for his main boss Musabbeh Al Mheiri in the concluding G3 Al Shindagha Sprint [Presented by Sustainability], over 1200metres on dirt. Meraas had been the impressive winner of a handicap on his local debut in December but was stepping up significantly in grade here. No matter; the five-year-old blazed a trail from the front and had just enough left to hang on by three-quarters of a length from Canvassed.
Fresu’s double took him level with Tadhg O’Shea at the top of a compelling UAE Jockeys’ Championship. O’Shea took the opening G2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah for Purebred Arabians on AF Alajaj, who finally fulfilled his potential.
Trained by three-time UAE Champion Ernst Oertel, the five-year-old was making his Meydan debut but was far superior to his nine rivals, striding clear by four and a quarter lengths.
Ernst Oertel (photo: supplied)
“As a young horse he was quite nervous but he’s got better with racing and he’s beautifully trained by Ernst,” said O’Shea. “I had a lovely seat turning in and just had to give him little breather. It’s onwards and upwards now, and we’ll come back here for the [G1, Dubai] Kahayla Classic next month.”
Another with Dubai World Cup night on their radar is Appreciated after the Doug O’Neill-trained gelding kept up his handler’s blistering form with a last to first win in the Listed Curlin Stakes, a prep for the $12million Dubai World Cup.
Ridden by Fernando Jara, the six-year-old dueled with Sanad Libya inside the final furlong, eventually winning by a neck in a very attritional contest.
“He wasn’t in the best position and we got squeezed a bit”, said World Cup-winning rider Jara. “We had to go to Plan B and I was looking for someplace but there were so many horses coming back I had to swing him out and he responded for me.
“He hadn’t run on the dirt for a long time, but he was working well. Good job by the guys and Leandro [Mora, Assistant Trainer]. You know with them that the horse will be ready.”
Carnival action returns next Friday, 18 February, when the Gr3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy is among the feature races.
