|
|
Indian Blessing tired but well; turf heroes to join Godolphin Two-time champion filly INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie) was a little tired on Sunday morning after her gallant second-place effort against males in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) but otherwise in good condition, said exercise rider Janell Gruss. "She came out of the race real well," Gruss said. "But it's hard to see her run so well and get beat." Indian Blessing finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Prince Sultan Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer's Big City Man (Northern Afleet) at the finish line, but her effort was outstanding, particularly considering she stumbled at the start. She finished five lengths in front of Godolphin's third-placed Diabolical (Artax), and others behind her included European champion sprinter Marchand d'Or (Marchand de Sable) and Grade 1 winner Black Seventeen (Is It True). Godolphin had plenty to celebrate on Dubai World Cup night, enjoying a one-two in both the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) and Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) but also recruiting two other winners, GLADIATORUS (Silic [Fr]), who romped in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1), and EASTERN ANTHEM (Singspiel [Ire]), who just got up in the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1). "It has been a brilliant night," said Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager. "We weren't sure that REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor) would stay (the about nine-furlong trip in the U.A.E. Derby), but, with DESERT PARTY (Street Cry [Ire]) performing below-par, he has run them ragged. "Similarly, TWO STEP SALSA (Petionville) and GAYEGO (Gilded Time) both ran blinders (in the Godolphin Mile). Frankie (Dettori) probably got first run on the winner (Two Step Salsa), which made the difference, but we have to be happy with both horses." Two Step Salsa and Gayego will now aim for the May 25 Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont Park. "Gladiatorus and Eastern Anthem are both part of the Godolphin team," Crisford said, "and they will run in our blue colors in Europe this summer." "Not a bad night's work," smiled Luca Cumani as he calculated that the brave runs of PURPLE MOON (Galileo [Ire]) and PRESVIS (Sakhee), while so near but so far, had still earned his owners $1.5 million. Purple Moon was beaten a whisker by Eastern Anthem and Spanish Moon (El Prado [Ire]) in the Sheema Classic, while Presvis came from another county to finish second in the Duty Free. "Purple Moon has run a terrific race," Cumani said, "and I am so proud of him. He might stay two miles, but he is capable of winning at the top level over a mile and a half as long as they go a decent pace. The moment they left the stalls the brakes went on, and I feared the worst. He has done tremendously well to finish so close. But we'll give him a holiday now and then take him back to Tokyo for the Japan Cup ([Jpn-G1] on November 29), on to Hong Kong for the Vase ([HK-G1] on December 13) and back here again to try and go one better at Meydan. "Presvis also run a blinder, but his draw was always going to be a problem. He has been on the go since January, so I am not sure that he will go to Royal Ascot. But before we give him a break he will either go for the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup ([HK-G1] on April 26) in Hong Kong or the Singapore Airlines International Cup ([Mal-G1] on May 17), which I won with Endless Hall (in 2001)." Australian challenger NICONERO (Danzero), who picked up $250,000 for finishing fourth in the Dubai Duty Free, may head to Royal Ascot for the June 17 Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1). "He might be a seven-year-old, but he seems to be getting better and better, and Craig (Williams) felt that but for suffering interference in the straight he would have been third," trainer David Hayes said. "He got bounced around like a pinball." Hayes conceded that the A$500,000 bonus being offered to any horse who wins the Australian Cup (Aus-G1) and the Prince of Wales is tempting. "He would need a race before Ascot, and it would have to be either Singapore or Hong Kong. "I know Manton better than I know Newmarket, so I would rather stay down there (when in England) if the Sangsters and Brian Meehan are agreeable, and, although the Aussies have proved a big hit in the sprint races at the Royal meeting, it has always been my ambition to have a middle-distance runner at Ascot. "Niconero is a good horse but no superstar, but he has a great bunch of owners and it would be great to give it a go if he comes through his dress rehearsal." Australia's top mare TUESDAY JOY (Carnegie [Ire]) will leave Dubai for France this week after her ninth placing behind Gladiatorus in the Duty Free. While no official announcement has been made, it is understood she will now be trained by Richard Gibson of Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]) fame. "I wasn't unhappy with her run. She's racing like a stayer now and wants more ground," owner John Singleton said of her Dubai performance. The October 4 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) is on the mare's agenda.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
