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Gamilati canters home in UAE Guineas
Reserved at the rear of the six-horse field, Gamilati waited as South African Group 2-placed Moon Spun carved out the pace. Colorful Notion and Alsindi were prominent, followed by Mary Fildes and Pimpernel, but most eyes were likely fixed on a cantering Gamilati. A patient Dettori still didn't give the cue rounding the far turn, and Gamilati continued to sit in last until the stretch. As soon as Dettori let her go, Gamilati burst clear. She was never asked a real question, and gave every impression of being unextended, while finishing the metric mile over the Tapeta in 1:38 4/5. Running room was elusive at one point for Pimpernel and jockey Mickael Barzalona, but the French native sought and found a way clear. Pimpernel was best of the rest by 2 1/4 lengths, completing the Godolphin exacta. "They are two very nice fillies and we are delighted with that," al Zarooni said. "We will all have to sit down and talk about where to go next." Alsindi, runner-up to Gamilati in the Trial, settled for third here, followed by Moon Spun, Colorful Notion and Mary Fildes. Bonne Idee was scratched. Gamilati boosted her bankroll to $238,723 from her 6-3-2-0 record. The bay narrowly dropped her first two starts, both hot maiden races at Newmarket. She missed by a head to Regal Realm in her debut, and by a nose to her highly-regarded stablemate Discourse next time. Gamilati broke through in the Cherry Hinton, but threw in a baffling clunker when last in the Group 2 Lowther at York. She was not seen again until the Dubai Carnival. Bred in Great Britain by Darley, Gamilati is out of Group 3 queen Illustrious Miss, a daughter of Kingmambo who finished third in the 2004 Irish One Thousand Guineas. Illustrious Miss is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 victress Nani Rose from the family of multiple Grade 1 star Political Ambition.
"He has been a great servant to us, and this is a big win on the international stage for a lower profile yard," Barron said. "Super Saturday (the Group 3 Mahab al Shimaal on March 10) and then, hopefully, World Cup night, will be next on the agenda." Another 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third came Alo Pura, with Captain Obvious relegated to fourth. Rerouted, best known as an occasional pacemaker for Frankel, rattled home late for fifth in his first start for new connections. The Juddmonte homebred was sold for $92,463 at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and now races for a partnership headed by trainer Mike de Kock. Hitchens was a high-grade handicapper who successfully transitioned into stakes company in the fall of 2010. After placing in the Mercury Stakes over Dundalk's Polytrack and in the Wentworth Stakes on the Doncaster turf, the bay capped his five-year-old campaign with a score in the Golden Rose Stakes over Lingfield's Polytrack. Hitchens made his mark at the Group level in 2011, capturing the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh and finishing third to heavy-hitters Dream Ahead and Bated Breath in the Group 1 July Cup. He checked in sixth to Regally Ready and Bated Breath in the Grade 1 Nearctic at Woodbine, his last start before heading to Dubai. With the Al Shindagha to his credit, he sports a mark of 41-8-4-5, $901,248. Bred by Curragh Bloodstock Agency Ltd., Hitchens RNA'd for $35,562 as a Goffs Orby yearling. After a promising juvenile season, during which he finished second in the lucrative Goffs Million, he went through the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. Hitchens brought a bid as high as $415,259, yet still did not reach his reserve. He revisited the ring at the same sale the following year, and Barron swooped in to get him for just $68,745. Hitchens is by Acclamation and out of the winning Royal Academy mare Royal Fizz, who has also produced the stakes-placed Grand Marque. Royal Fizz is herself a half-sister to Hong Kong Group 1 victor Floral Pegasus. Hitchens' second dam, Crown Crest, is a winning full sister to champions Glint of Gold and Diamond Shoal, from the family of influential sire In Reality.
Al Raihe was racking up a Friday double, having sent out Maraheb to land the opening $120,000 handicap on Tapeta. The lucky also-eligible drew into the race, overcame a slow start for Royston Ffrench, and powered to a two-length decision in the metric mile affair. A homebred campaigned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Redoute's Choice colt won twice last year for John Dunlop. In the about five-furlong, $175,000 turf dash, Mrs. Helen Checkley's Monsieur Joe exploited his light 120-pound impost to upend Inxile, the co-highweight lumbering 132 pounds. The Robert Cowell charge was held up in the rear of the pack by William Buick, as Inxile did all of the hard work up front. Closing throughout the final furlong, Monsieur Joe thrust his neck in front of a gallant Inxile at the wire, to snap a winless streak dating back to August 2010. The fast-finishing Bohemian Melody was another neck away in third. "We hoped he would run well after a promising local debut, and William has given him a great ride," said Cowell, who won this contest a year ago with Prohibit, subsequently victorious in the Group 1 King's Stand.
Fox Hunt was progressive for former trainer Mark Johnston. Successful in the Duke of Edinburgh handicap at Royal Ascot, he finished second under top weight of 140 pounds in the John Smith's Silver Cup at York, and was beaten a grand total of a half-length when fourth in the Group 2 Goodwood Cup. A hampered sixth as the 136-pound highweight in the Ebor, Fox Hunt traveled to Germany to earn his first stakes win in the Group 3 Deutsches St Leger, booking his ticket to Flemington. The five-year-old has advanced his resume to 17-6-4-0, $408,355. Bred by Ballylinch Stud in Ireland, Fox Hunt RNA'd for $175,968 as an Arqana August yearling before selling for $73,487 as a Tattersalls April two-year-old. He is out of Italian stakes heroine Kiltubber, a daughter of Sadler's Wells and Group 1-winning Irish highweight juvenile filly Priory Belle.
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