Printer Friendly Page 

Alexandros impresses in Al Rashidiya

Alexandros starred in the first turf race at Meydan (Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) Godolphin's ALEXANDROS (Kingmambo) displayed a smart burst of speed to capture Thursday's $200,000 Al Rashidiya (UAE-G3), the first race ever contested over the turf at the new Meydan Racecourse. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Frankie Dettori, the classy five-year-old cruised up to the leaders in the stretch, and right on cue, bolted away to a commanding 3 1/2-length victory. Alexandros toured about nine furlongs on the good to firm ground in 1:51 3/5, and in the process, raised his profile as a contender for the March 27 Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1). In the opening stages, the mare Front House (Sadler's Wells) strode to the lead and set a moderate tempo, with Tam Lin (GB) (Selkirk) tracking on the outside and Alexandros well placed in a ground-saving third. Tam Lin threw down a challenge to Front House in the stretch, but Alexandros was still under wraps as Dettori angled him to the outside. Wider out came a rallying Black Eagle (Cape Cross [Ire]) to make it a quartet in the frame. Alexandros, however, was traveling best of all. Still in hand while cantering up to the leaders, he burst clear in a matter of strides and won geared down. "It is a great track (the turf)," Dettori said, "and I was really impressed with the conditions it is in, and especially the sweeping bends. Alexandros likes to get his toe in and he has handled it well. He is a nice horse with some very good form in the book. Hopefully he can improve from that."

Crowded House (Rainbow Quest), who had not raced since his sixth-place effort in the Derby (Eng-G1) at Epsom last June, made eye-catching late progress from the rear to grab second. Tam Lin reported home another half-length back in third, followed by Black Eagle, Kalahari Gold (Trans Island), Front House, Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat), Frozen Fire (Montjeu [Ire]) and Oiseau de Feu (Stravinsky).

Alexandros now sports a mark of 22-8-4-4 with $1,131,087 in earnings. Successful in the 2007 Prix de Cabourg (Fr-G3) and Prix Roland de Chambure as a juvenile for Andre Fabre, he also placed third in that year's Prix Morny (Fr-G1). The Darley-bred joined Godolphin in advance of his three-year-old campaign, highlighted by a strong second-place finish versus his elders in the 2008 Diomed S. (Eng-G3) at Epsom.

Kicking off his 2009 season in Dubai, Alexandros won a pair of handicaps before garnering third in a typically deep renewal of the Dubai Duty Free. He went on to miss by a whisker in the Lockinge S. (Eng-G1) at Newbury, and concluded the year with a close seventh in the December 13 Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) last out.

Alexandros was bred in Great Britain and has a juvenile three-quarter sister named Margravine (King's Best). He is the first foal from the winning Arlette (Ire) (King of Kings [Ire]), who is a three-quarter sister to French highweight, Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) winner and successful sire In the Wings (GB) (Sadler's Wells), as well as French Group 2 victors Morozov (Sadler's Wells) and Hunting Hawk (Sadler's Wells). They were all produced by Italian co-champion filly and dual classic-placed High Hawk (Ire) (Shirley Heights). This is the family of High-Rise (High Estate), hero of the 1998 Derby; Virginia Waters (Kingmambo), queen of the 2005 One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1); and Irish and French highweight Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), victor of the 2005 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) and Prix Jacques le Marois (Fr-G1).

The Al Rashadiya was the middle leg of a three-race triple for Godolphin on Thursday evening. The team's other two winners each got up in dramatic fashion in the final stride.

With Ted Durcan aboard, GLOBAL CITY (Exceed and Excel) thrust his nose in front in an about six-furlong handicap on the Tapeta, carded as the 5TH race, just prior to the feature. Finishing 2 1/4 lengths back in third was the veteran sprint champ Thor's Echo (Swiss Yodeler), returning from a 19-month layoff for trainer Satish Seemar. The 2006 Eclipse Award winner and Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) romper was last seen checking in fourth in the 2008 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2) at Saratoga.

Immediately following the Al Rashidiya, Dettori lifted AGE OF REASON (Halling), the runner-up in last year's Gran Premio di Milano (Ity-G1), to a last-gasp score in an about 1 3/4-mile turf handicap in the 7TH race.

Musir stamped himself as a leading Guineas contender (Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) Carnival maestro Mike de Kock also celebrated three winners, led by South African champion MUSIR (Redoute's Choice) in the conditions race billed as the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas Trial. Confidently handled by Christophe Soumillon, the bay rolled to the front in the stretch and held off Godolphin's sophomore Frozen Power (Oasis Dream [GB]) by a measured neck. Musir negotiated about seven furlongs on the Tapeta in 1:26 4/5 while shouldering the massive impost of 62 kilograms (136.4 pounds). "This horse was champion juvenile at home last season and is one we have high hopes for," de Kock noted. "We will go to the Guineas ([UAE-G3] at about one mile on February 18) with hope now." De Kock has taken this race with subsequent Dubai classic winners Asiatic Boy (Arg) and Honour Devil (Arg) (Honour and Glory) in recent years -- both in the same colors as Musir, those of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum.

Bred in Australia by his owner, Musir improved his record to 4-3-1-0, $77,301. He had not raced since July 4, when he sealed his divisional championship with a 3 1/2-length coup in the Golden Horseshoe S. (SAf-G1) at Greyville. Musir is out of the stakes-placed Encosta de Lago mare Dizzy de Lago, and he hails from the family of Japanese champion and emerging young sire King Kamehameha (Kingmambo).

In the very next race, the 4TH, the de Kock-trained MR BROCK (Fort Wood) galloped to a 3 3/4-length triumph going about 1 3/16 miles with Kevin Shea. De Kock added the 8TH and final contest to his total, courtesy of KING OF ROME (Montjeu [Ire]). Also guided by Shea, the Irish Group 2 veteran crossed the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of Brazilian star Hot Six (Burooj) in the about 10-furlong handicap.

AL ARAB (Redattore [Brz]) romped by 4 1/4 lengths in the opener at about one mile for Brazilian trainer Antonio Cintra, while MUTHEEB (Danzig) dominated the 2ND race, an about seven-furlong handicap, by five lengths for Musabah al Muhairi.

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend