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| Staff Writer |
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CHOISYA delivered a commanding performance to claim the Gr.2 Cape Verdi Stakes at Meydan, handing father-and-son training partnership Simon and Ed Crisford a significant success on Thursday evening.
The 5YO Night Of Thunder mare, under a confident Mickael Barzalona, made all the running to upset favourite Romantic Style, trained by Charlie Appleby. Despite the French Classic-placed rival's presence, Choisya stretched clear in the straight to score by five and a quarter lengths, marking her sixth career victory from 18 starts.
Barzalona, securing his third Cape Verdi triumph, said: "I got an easy lead in front; it felt like a French race. When I asked her to pick up she did it very well. It would have been better to have a lead but all of the others had the instructions to take back; sometimes it is lucky to have horses who are versatile like she is."
The mare is now being aimed at the Gr.2 Balanchine over an extended trip on February 21.
Norway's leading trainer Niels Petersen doubled his Dubai tally when Queen Azteca claimed the Cocoa Beach Stakes for 3YO fillies. The filly, reversing previous form with Flama Sunshine, powered home by eight lengths under Carlos Lopez, with Taswaheen filling the runner-up spot.
Lopez, celebrating his second UAE victory, said: "It means a lot. We've had very tough situation in Scandinavia [due to financial uncertainty] so this will bring a lot of happiness and I'm proud to be a part of it."
Dual UAE Champion Trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri dominated proceedings with a remarkable four-timer. Legend Of Cannes, a shrewd US$12,250 purchase, initiated the sequence in the Defender Handicap, prevailing under Silvestre De Sousa.
Echo Point followed up in track record time, clocking 1:21.45 in the Defender OCTA Handicap, while Haasim broke his maiden in the Defender X-Dynamic Handicap under Danny Tudhope.
The quartet was completed when Asad Zabeel outpointed stablemate El Nasseeb in the Defender 525 Edition Handicap, with Castlewarden finishing third. De Sousa, who rode three winners himself, said of Asad Zabeel: "He's a very versatile horse. He could go from six furlongs to a mile. I was going so easy early on and they were setting good fractions."
The evening concluded with Delorean landing the Defender Sedona Edition Handicap for trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash and jockey Connor Beasley, while Haddaf Al Wathba took the opening Purebred Arabian contest for Khalifa Al Neyadi and Saif Al Balushi.
Racing returns to Meydan next Friday with an enhanced card featuring nine pattern races, headlined by the Gr.1 Al Maktoum Challenge and Gr.1 Jebel Hatta.