It was double delight for the royal blue silks of Godolphin and its trainer Saeed bin Suroor ahead of the main drawcard at the 16th running of the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Saturday.
The connections of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, produced two early winners ahead of the $10 million Dubai World Cup race.
Godolphin runner Skysurfers with champion jockey Frankie Dettori aboard survived a spirited duel down the Meydan straight to win the $1 million Group Two Godolphin Mile followed by a thrilling victory in the $2 million UAE Derby by Khawlah who edged out Master Of Hounds in a photo finish.
Bin Suroor saddled his seventh UAE Derby winner as the UAE Oaks winner, Khawlah, bravely collared Master of Hounds in the final metres to win under Mickael Barzelona in a final time of 1:58:83.
Ironically, 18-year-old jockey Barzalona was left the task of steering the filly home because Dettori couldn’t manage the weight.
Khawlah broke from the stalls and settled in to seventh early. Barzalona followed his pre-race instructions well according to bin Suroor.
“I talked to Mickael before the race just to keep her in that position to keep her happy and relaxed,” he said.
Khawlah edged up to fifth as they rounded the turn, then began her move as the field straightened for home.
Barzelona said after the race: “It didn’t go at all like I’d hoped because she couldn’t get any cover, but she got me out of trouble. She was very brave and finished really well. It’s a dream to win here.”
The runner-up trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, ran a blinder on his all-weather debut, whilst Mahbooba stayed on for a never threatening third.
Skysurfers won the 18th running of the Godolphin Mile sponsored by Etisalat, getting the 1600m in 1:37.65.
A little reluctant to load, Skysurfers broke well from the gates and settled midfield. Another horse representing the UAE - Conveyance - was sent straight to the lead with I Want Revenge and As De Trebol on his heels.
At the 300m mark Skysurfers and Mufarrah made their move. As an enthusiastic local crowd rose as one to cheer them home, the Godolphin and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s runners, challenged stride for stride in a scintillating duel.
Skysurfers stuck his head in front at the 50m mark and was able to hold on by half a length.
The result was another Godolphin Mile win to the Godolphin team. It was the eighth time that trainer Bin Suroor has trained the winner of the race and the sixth time that Dettori has ridden the winner.
“We knew he was coming into the race in very good form,” said winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “He was traveling well turning for home. Mufarrah was very tough, but I was always confident that he and Frankie would get there.”
Dettori was forced to travel three wide for much of the race but said: “The draw made a couple of lengths difference, but he’s got tactical speed, so I got to where I wanted to be and then he got into a nice rhythm. I knew I had the best horse. Mufarrah made me work but we got there in the end.”
Mufarrh battled away on the inside, but eventually went down narrowly at the line.
Red Jazz was back in third having been pushed along for some time, and he was just ahead of fellow British raider Premio Loco and the locally-trained Zafeen Speed .
For the second time in three years, J J The Jet Plane won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Emirates NBD, bursting through between the field and emerged from the sand to enter the course proper and getting to the wire just a head in front of War Artist..
The South African-bred six year old son of Jet Master won this race in 2009 when it was not part of the Dubai World Cup programme but was instead a $200,000 race contested on Super Thursday at 1200m.
“We didn’t come here initially to win this race, we wanted the Group One 1200m (Dubai Golden Shaheen) but a few things went horribly wrong,” said trainer Michael ‘Lucky’ Houdalakis. “We got him back on track in his last start and although 1000m is short of his best, he has brilliant natural pace and it was going to take something really very good to get away from him.”
Bernard Fayd’herbe covered up the seven-year-old in the early stages but as the horses came into view through the mist the pair began to mount their challenge.
Rod Collet’s War Artist was winning the contest well inside the final furlong but J J The Jet Plane burst through to claim the $600,000 winners’ prizemoney right on the line by a head from War Artist and Better Be The One.
President’s Cup winner the Philippe Barbe-trained Seraphin Du Paon got the Dubai World Cup night off to a cracking start when he came from behind to win the $250,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic sponsored by Emaar by a length.
Having drawn stall 13, the five-year-old owned by His Highness the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was at the back of the pack for much of the 2,000 metre race on the All-weather Tapeta surface for Arabian Thoroughbreds.
However, Olivier Peslier carried the French raider beautifully before surging through the middle of a crowded field in the home stretch. He grabbed the lead with less than 100 metres to the post from fellow French runner Nieshan while No Risk Al Maury faded away to finish third.
“He had a bad draw and I admit I was a bit nervous when they came into the straight,” said Philippe Barbe.
“He does come from behind, but today he was quite far behind. It was a very exciting finish and I’m glad it turned out in our favour. It was very emotional. It’s been a while since I have won a race like this. I’m absolutely delighted and Olivier Peslier gave him a brilliant ride.”
Peslier said after the race: “I prefer to have him relax near the back of the field. If I keep him quiet I know he will finish well. I didn’t want to get there early and have him stop in front. Finding plenty of room, he finished strongly.”
Singapore superstar Rocket Man cracked it on the global stage with a convincing victory in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News with the Hong Kong pair of Sunny King and Dim Sum finished two necks behind in third and fourth.
Nine runners went post as last year’s California-based winner, Kinsale King, was a late scratching owing to swelling in his off foreleg.
Six of the last seven editions had gone to American runners but the withdrawal of the 2010 champion left USA hopes resting solely on Bob Baffert’s trailblazer Euroears who predictably forced the pace.
For a brief moment at the top of the stretch, it seemed as if America would take the glory again, but Rocket Man gradually wore him down, leading about 150 metres out.
“I got a great start and I took him back to give Euroears the lead and tracked him. I saw Mike Smith go for his horse and when I picked up Rocket Man he responded. He is so gutsy. It was a great feeling, like being in a top sports car. He was flying,” Coetzee said.
Trainer Patrick Shaw added: “I was confident all week because I have never had him better. Winning on an international stage like Dubai is very special I don’t know where we go next with Rocket Man. Royal Ascot want him in the summer. But so do the Australians to take on Black Caviar so we’ll see.”
Results
Race 1: $250,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic sponsored by Emaar Purebred Arabians –2000m (a10f) Group 1
1 Seraphin Du Paon (France) Oliver Peslier Philippe Barbe
2 Nieshan (France) Christophe Lemaire Eric Lemartinel
3 No Risk Al Maury (France) Richard Hills Gillian Duffield
4 Albar Lotois (France) Gerald Avranche Eric Lemartinel
Time: 2:18.07 Distance: One length
Race 2: $1 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Emirates NBD – Thoroughbreds 1000m (5f) Group 2 (Turf)
1 J J The Jet Plane (South Africa) Bernard Fayd’Herbe Michael Houdalakis
2 War Artist (Australia) Olivier Peslier Rodolphe Collet
3 Better Be The One (Australia) Danny Beasley Michael Freedman
4 Invincible Ash (Ireland) John Murtagh Michael Halford
Time: 59.14 Distance: HD
Race 3: $1 million Godolphin Mile sponsored by Etisalat – Thoroughbreds 1600m (a8f) Group 2
1 Skysurfers (Great Britain) Lanfranco Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
2 Mufarrh (Ireland) Richard Hills Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3 Red Jazz (USA) Michael Hills Barry Hills
4 Premio Loco (USA) George Baker Cristian Wall
Time: 1:37.65 Distance: Half length
Race 4: UAE Derby sponsored by Al Naboodah – Thoroughbreds 1900m (a9.5f) Group 2
1 Khawlah (Ireland) Mickael Barzalona Saeed bin Suroor
2 Master Of Hounds (USA) Ryan Moore Aidan O’Brien
3 Mahbooba (Australia) Christophe Soumillon Mike De Kock
4 Zanzamar (South Africa) Richard Hills Mike De Kock
Time: 1:58.83 Distance: Nose
Race 5: $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Stakes – Thoroughbred 1200m (a6f) Group 1
1 Rocket Man (Australia) Felix Coetzee Patrick Shaw
2 Euroears (USA) Mike Smith Bob Baffert
3 Sunny King (Ireland) Gerald Mosse John Moore
4 Green Birdie (New Zealand) Brett Prebble Casper Fownes
Time: 1:11.28 Distance: 2.25 lengths
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