The Apache defies year-long layoff in Al Rashidiya

The Apache, equally game, burst right between them. Meanwhile, fellow

comebacker City Style exploded from well off the pace wider out. The two kicked

clear of the rest in a private battle, and The Apache found a bit extra to pull

away from City Style by three-quarters of a length.

"I rode this horse work in the week," Soumillon said, "and he really pleased

me, so I was pretty hopeful of a big run. He has done well after his break and

can hopefully improve."

De Kock hadn't exactly gone in expecting to win his record fifth Al Rashidiya,

believing that The Apache wasn't fully cranked for this reappearance.

"I actually thought he would need that," de Kock said, "so it is very

pleasing, and hopefully he can build on this."

Another 2 1/4 lengths astern came the unlucky Sharestan. An impressive winner

of the January 10 Al Rashidiya Trial on opening night of the Carnival, Sharestan

was bottled up in traffic in the main event. By the time the Godolphin

first-stringer finally saw daylight, the race was essentially over, and he did

well to overtake stablemate Aesop's Fables for third by a half-length.

Rounding out the order of finish were Albaasil, So Beautiful, Light Heavy,

Derbaas, Fanunalter and Do It All.

The Apache, who covered about 1 1/8 miles on Meydan's good turf in 1:49 3/5,

has now bankrolled $392,780 from his 16-7-2-1 line. Previously trained by Gavin

van Zyl, the son of Mogok reigned as South Africa's champion three-year-old colt

of 2010-11 through victories in the Group 1 Daily News 2000, Group 1 Champion's

Cup and Group 2 Dingaans. The following season, his best stakes results were a

third in the Group 2 Victory Moon and a near-miss second in the Group 3 London

News.

Considering that The Apache has been beaten convincingly by Igugu in two

premier races back home, the Group 1 Durban July and the J&B Met, his success in

the Al Rashidiya rates as a significant compliment ahead of her upcoming Dubai

debut.

Indeed, de Kock had a crafty grin when asked about this

enticing formline in the postrace interview. Plans call for Igugu to be unveiled

in the Group 2 Balanchine on February 21.

Bred by Scott Bros. in South Africa, The Apache is out of the Dolpour mare

Apache Rose, who is a full sister to Group 3-placed stakes heroine Sugar

Magnolia and Group 2-placed West West. The Apache's second dam is Group 1 star

Bold West.

In his reappearance, Rerouted was third to Sharestan in the Al Rashidiya

Trial. He broke through on Thursday on a productive day for Westwood, who was on

hand at the track after shooting -5 in the first round of the Dubai Desert

Classic.

"We have had some joy here in the past -- especially Right Approach,"

Westwood said, alluding to his dead-heat winner of the 2004 Group 1 Duty Free,

"and this horse has been running well in defeat, so it is nice to see him win."

De Kock's night got off on the right note with Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum's

homebred Mushreq. One of last week's hard-luck stories when a compromised

fourth, the Flying Spur gelding didn't have a straw in his path this time.

Under Paul Hanagan, the sheikh's retained rider, Mushreq advanced on the

outside, outkicked Godolphin's Royal Empire by 1 1/2 lengths, and completed

about 1 1/4 grassy miles in 2:01 4/5.

"That really was a case of third time lucky, as I do not think I have had a

more unlucky horse in my years campaigning here," de Kock said. "Paul did the

right thing to stay wide, and the horse deserved that."

The Australian-bred Mushreq began his career in South Africa, where he missed

by a neck in the Group 1 Golden Horseshoe as a juvenile in 2011. He failed to

cut the mustard as a classic candidate, finishing fifth in the Group 1 Cape

Derby and a tailed-off last in the Group 1 SA Classic early last year, and is

now in his first season abroad.

Godolphin garnered two races on the evening, beginning with Kassiano, who

topped the Saeed bin Suroor exacta in a Tapeta handicap. Stablemate Con Artist

was the ostensible first-stringer, judging by the presence of Silvestre de Sousa

in the saddle, but Kassiano proved too strong. With Ted Durcan aboard, the

progressive four-year-old bested Con Artist by a neck and finished about 1 3/16

miles in 1:58 3/5.

"We were probably a bit unlucky the last day (runner-up to Royal Empire on

January 10)," Durcan said, "so it is nice to get a win on him, and he should be

able to go on from here."

Originally racing for Stall Lustige, Kassiano had won four of his first five

starts -- on turf at Fontainebleau and Hannover as well as a pair of scores over

Deauville's Polytrack. That profile made him an attractive type for the

Carnival, and the Solder Hollow gelding was purchased for

€165,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale in October.

His premiere for Godolphin came on opening night, when he was second to Royal

Empire, and he now sports a mark of 6-4-1-1.

The trainer/jockey tandem of Mahmood al Zarooni and Mickael Barzalona, who

had endured runner-up efforts with City Style and Van Ellis, struck at last with

the returning Time Prisoner in the nightcap. Last seen finishing fifth in the

Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort nearly a year ago, the son of Elusive Quality produced a

sustained late run to overhaul Dux Scholar and win going away by three-quarters

of a length. Time Prisoner stopped the teletimer in 1:24 1/5 for about seven

furlongs on the turf. Now a six-year-old, the gray enjoyed his biggest win in

the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis in 2011.

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