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| Sumita Pawar |
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Two European fillies, Mystic Pearl and Stenton Glider, will be aiming to follow in the hoofprints of Pevensey Bay, the last overseas winner of the Gr.2 Cape Verdi two years ago. The AED800,000 mile turf feature of the seventh Dubai Carnival meeting has attracted a field of 10, including three horses from Charlie Appleby, who has won the Cape Verdi five times.
William Haggas' Mystic Pearl and Hugo Palmer's Stenton Glider have met before, finishing one-two in the Listed Coral Distaff at Sandown in July. Stenton Glider has been prepared for this race since August and Palmer is hopeful of a big run from her. Meanwhile, Mystic Pearl brings the
In the AED300,000 Cocoa Beach Stakes over a mile on dirt, Fawzi Nass's filly Manama Gold looks to be the one to beat. She has been showing good form and is in better condition than last time, according to jockey Adrie De Vries. She faces eight rivals, including dual winner Wild Goddess and Mizzyaan, an intriguing debutante from Doug Watson's yard.
Michael Costa's Lahfaty, who won the maiden race impressively, will be ridden by Tom Marquand in this race. She will be looking to bounce back after her defeat to Manama Gold. Costa's Mojeyrr is one of his two horses in the National Industries Park Handicap, with Marquand being the jockey for both horses.
The headline act in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Handicap, race seven, over 1400 metres on turf is Mysterious Night, winner of the 2022 Gr.1 Summer Stakes in Canada. The 4YO will be carrying top weight and is winless in four starts since her victory in Canada. Boosala, Taamol, and others will be challenging her in this race.
On Friday night, the Gr.2 Cape Verdi will take the spotlight as the feature event on another nine-race programme at Dubai’s iconic Meydan Racecourse. Charlie Appleby will look to become the most successful trainer of the race and break the tie with his Godolphin counterpart Saeed bin Suroor, as both trainers have five wins apiece. Appleby has a strong contender for this year’s prize in English Rose, a 4YO Frankel filly who is unbeaten in two career starts, along with his Godolphin teammates and stable companions Silver Lady and Shining Jewel. Mystic Pearl, trained by William Haggas, and Hugo Palmer’s Stenton Glider will also be competing in the race, carrying forward their overseas rivalry.
Ahmad bin Harmash’s Hunting Lady is expected to go well in the 1400m Conditions race after a dominant win in the Al Nayfat Stakes at Jebel Ali last March. Shymay, trained by Okbah Aashour, and Nibras Angel, trained by Ismail Mohammed, will also compete in the race.
The Cocoa Beach Stakes, a 1600m run on the dirt surface for 3YO fillies, is another noteworthy race. Fawzi Nass’ Manama Gold, who won her only start in a similar event three weeks ago, is expected to have the advantage over Appleby's Wild Goddess, who has no dirt or all-weather experience. Michael Costa’s Lahfaty, who was the favorite in a previous race, is expected to do well in this race as well.
The undercard also includes a 1400m handicap on turf for horses rated between 80-105, where 2022 Gr.1 Pattison Summer Stakes champ Mysterious Night will be tipped to make amends for his previous defeat. Costa trained Ghaaleb is expected to be the favorite in the 1200m turf maiden for runners aged three and above, while the same connections hold strong hands in the corresponding dirt sprint.
best form into the race, as per Richie Mullen.
Godolphin's fillies and mares are looking to continue their impressive record in the Cape Verdi at this week's Dubai Racing Carnival meeting.The royal blue silks have won 10 of the 13 editions of the Meydan highlight since it was upgraded to Gr.2 status in 2011. English Rose, Silver Lady, and Shining Jewel will represent Godolphin in the race. Sajjhaa and Althiqa both used the mile contest as a springboard to Gr.1 honors.
English Rose is unbeaten in two runs and brings an impressive profile into the race. Silver Lady also scored on her debut and took a close third in a York Listed race. Shining Jewel shed her maiden tag at the third time of asking, winning by four lengths at Chelmsford City in August, before comfortably taking a Newmarket handicap on her only subsequent outing.
Charlie Appleby, who trains all three 4YOs, said that English Rose has progressed with each run and has been pleasing them at home. They are dipping their toe in this level to see where they stand for the rest of the year. Shining Jewel will probably appreciate stepping back up in distance following this run, and they have the Balanchine more in mind for her. Silver Lady is the only one of the three who has run at Black Type level, and her work has been pleasing.
The Cocoa Beach Stakes is named after Godolphin's outstanding dual Gr.1 winner, who completed the UAE 1,000 Guineas-UAE Oaks double at Nad Al Sheba in 2008. Wild Goddess encounters dirt for the first time in the mile contest for three-year-olds following a pair of turf wins at Newmarket last season. G1 winner Mysterious Night makes his handicap debut for Charlie Appleby over the same seven-furlong course and distance.
All-weather winner Return To Dubai lines up for Saeed bin Suroor in an extended nine-furlong turf handicap, while Blue Point filly Arabic Song debuts for the trainer in the evening's six-furlong turf maiden. Business Bay Challenge ninth Wild Lion and Open Mind both represent Saeed bin Suroor in the same race.
His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Asaad Al Said has been appointed by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik to sponsor the annual Royal Cavalry horse race. The event is slated to take place on Monday, January 22, 2024, in the Wilayat of Ibri, Al Dhahirah Governorate.
According to Oman News Agency, His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Asaad Al Said will sponsor the event on behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik. Organized by the Royal Court Affairs, represented by the Royal Cavalry, the race will feature five rounds dedicated to purebred Arabian horses. The fifth round, in particular, will be the most significant as the Knights vie for the coveted His Majesty the Sultan’s Cup.
Aside from showcasing some of Oman's horse-related arts, the race sessions will also feature equestrian sports performances presented by both male and female Royal Cavalry riders. The performances will be accompanied by an assortment of musical pieces, providing an entertaining spectacle for all attendees.
The next Dubai Racing Carnival meeting at Meydan will be sponsored by DP World, a leading provider of end-to-end logistics solutions. DP World, which started as a local port operator in 1972, has evolved into a global logistics powerhouse, with operations in more than 73 countries.
DP World has been a consistent supporter of racing in Dubai, sponsoring the US$5 million Dubai Turf at the Dubai World Cup meeting. Now, the company returns to Meydan Racecourse to sponsor a prestigious night of racing, featuring the Gr.2 Cape Verdi over 1600 meters on turf, which is worth an elevated AED850,000. This race was won by the Charlie Appleby-trained With The Moonlight in 2022, who went on to finish second in two Grade Is in North America. The Cape Verdi is supported by the AED300,000 Cocoa Beach Stakes, a race for fillies over 1600 meters on dirt, as well as seven other races.
Major General Mohammed Dr. Essa Al Adhab, Executive Director of Dubai Racing Club, welcomed DP World to Meydan Racecourse, saying, “DP World has been a huge supporter of sports in Dubai, giving their backing to racing as well as golf. We value their support throughout our season and hope that their team and their guests have a wonderful evening with us on Friday. It is an important card, with several horses preparing for the Dubai World Cup meeting.”