Fairy Glen upstages males in Dubai Gold Cup

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Fairy Glen was venturing into unknown territory in Saturday’s $1 million Dubai Gold Cup (G2) over two metric miles, but the Farhh mare stayed every yard of the trip to become the race’s first female winner. 

The Dubai Gold Cup got off to an unusual start when Sunway tore off to an unsustainable lead. Track announcer Pat Comerford estimated that he might have been as many as 35 lengths in front at one stage on the backstretch. Although Sunway still held a double-digit lead rounding the final turn, he was already on fumes and about to implode.

Caballo de Mar, who had been in the vanguard of the main body of the field, was the first to pick up the baton in the stretch. Meanwhile, Fairy Glen was just about to spear between foes and dart up the inside.

In an exquisitely-timed move by jockey Mickael Barzalona, the Simon and Ed Crisford trainee nabbed Caballo de Mar. He tried to come again, but Fairy Glen was firmly in control by a half-length in 3:22.36. The turf was good, albeit with a bit of residual moisture from the rainy week. 

Caballo de Mar was conceding four pounds as well as recency to Fairy Glen, who captured the Balanchine (G2) in her own division during the Carnival. The George Scott runner did well to pull clear of race-fit rivals Al Nayyir, Sons and Lovers, and Epic Poet.

Favored Al Riffa reported home sixth, and the stewards’ report noted that he scoped dirty. Burdett Road, defending champion Dubai Future, Ruling Dynasty, and a tailed-off Sunway rounded out the order of finish. 

Fairy Glen returned $22.40 for her ground-breaking victory. The most notable females in past editions were Verema, third in 2013 to Cavalryman, and Beautiful Romance, who missed by a neck to the legendary Vaziribad in 2017.

“It's fantastic,” Ed Crisford said. “We ran her in the Balanchine here, which was a bit short for her (at about 1 1/8 miles), but since that race she's really blossomed, done really well. 

“She got invited to this race, she's never run over two miles before, we were a little bit skeptical about if she'd stay the extra two furlongs - she's won over a mile and six back in England - but I thought Mickael rode her really well, a sensible race and she finished very well.

“She goes on this sort of ground, she's run at Bath in heavy ground in the UK so she's well used to these conditions. I'm really pleased for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan to have a winner on the night.”

Simon Crisford likewise was unsure about her stamina for the trip beforehand.

“I think we were stretching our luck going up to two miles, but the way the race set up, it worked really well for the closers. She’s got a nice turn of foot, and she showed it tonight. She’s very honest, very brave, a good filly.”

Fairy Glen has now won three stakes in a row, beginning with the Nov. 25 River Eden Fillies’ S. on the Lingfield Polytrack. Her resume reads 11-5-3-1, and plans call for her to try the Middleton (G2) at York next. 

Bred by Godolphin in France, Fairy Glen is out of Natural Scenery, a daughter of Dubawi and perennial Group 1 bridesmaid Argentina. She is a direct female-line descendant of the all-time great Allez France. 

Although Fairy Glen was their lone winner on World Cup night, the Crisford runners were firing elsewhere on the card. West Wind Blows nearly stole the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) until Calandagan swooped late, Quddwah was runner-up in the Dubai Turf (G1), and Meydaan placed third in the Dubai World Cup (G1).