Algiers the star of Doyle treble

It’s been 14 years since G2 Maktoum Challenge R1, the official feature on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, produced a horse who won the Dubai World Cup in the same season.

There’s a hint of a suggestion that Algiers (pictured) could do the same, after Simon and Ed Crisford’s charge dominated the 1600metre race, winning by six and a half lengths from Discovery Island. It was a superb performance by the six-year-old, who was eighth in the Godolphin Mile last season. His vanquished opponents included defending champion Golden Goal, who faded into twelfth after leading, as well as 2021 Godolphin Mile winner Secret Ambition, fourth.

“All credit to Algiers, he was really tough out there,” said co-winning trainer Simon Crisford. “We wondered beforehand if he’d had enough match practice on this surface against these horses, but he’s handled it really well.”

Crisford wouldn’t be drawn on the $12million World Cup question, outlining the range of options for Algiers in the Gulf.

“He’s won over 10 1/2f (2100metres) at York and in France so he should get it,” he said of the Dubai World Cup distance. “He will be in the World Cup, he’s also in the big race in Saudi, and we’ll look at the next leg of the Maktoum Challenge too.”

Doyle, riding his 99^th UAE winner, added; “the draw (11) was always a worry and I had to go four or five wide around the turn, giving away ground, but he’s shown again he’s a good horse.”

It was soon 100 up for Doyle, who partnered Al Suhail to success in the night’s other Group 2, the Al Fahidi Fort (presented by Zabeel Feed), over 1400metres on turf. The six-year-old hadn’t managed better than third in three previous Carnival appearances but was much too good here, storming clear from off the pace and beating Group 1 winner Alfareeq by four lengths, breaking the track record in the process.

“His homework’s been good, but as we’ve seen before he’s got his own ideas about things,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, for whom it was a record seventh win in this race. “It was always the plan for James to ride him cold from that draw. I see no reason why he won’t go to the Zabeel Mile next, as he wasn’t stopping at the end there.”

Doyle sealed a memorable night when Lazuli gave him a treble, and Appleby a double, in the closing Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash.

Stablemate Man Of Promise was the favourite for the 1000metre turf event, but Lazuli loves the minimum trip and was able to track his main rival throughout the race, beating him by a length and a quarter, with Czech raider Ponntos third.

“It’s nice to be on a few fast ones,” said Doyle afterwards. “With the stalls on the far side, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was able to get onto the back of Will [Buick, on Man Of Promise] and he took me as far as I needed to go.

“He [Lazuli] is a strong-travelling horse and he gets five furlongs well. He maybe doesn’t hit the line quite so well over six.”

Switzerland picks up where he left off

Perhaps the biggest equine star on show was Switzerland, the reigning G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner, who started back as he left off with an impressive win in the G3 Dubawi Stakes (presented by Zabeel Feed).

Facing some talented rivals, including Garhoud Sprint winner Mouheeb and the 111-rated Mubakker, Switzerland had plenty of horses in front of him when they turned from home in the 1200metre dirt contest. However, he had enough finishing kick when it mattered, powering clear when the gaps came and coming home a length and a half in front of Mubakker.

It was UAE win 700 for Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea, who is already looking ahead to March 25^th. “He’s a very good horse and there was a lot of speed on,” he said of Bhupat Seemar’s nine-year-old, who is owned by RRR Racing. “When a race is run like that, that’s where he’s at his best.

“He turned nine at the start of the year so even after four or five works he took a blow tonight. He’s not a horse who needs to run every week, so I’d imagine he’ll have one run in February and then back for another crack at the Golden Shaheen.”

Six Godolphin horses lined up for the first Thoroughbred race of the Carnival, the DRC Classic over 2410metres on turf. However, it went to a UK raider when Enemy became a second winner here for trainer Ian Williams.

Fourth in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy last season, Enemy has that race on his radar again but had no problem with the drop back in trip here, on his first start since a wind operation. Slowly away, he came with a relentless run inside the final furlong and was too strong, by a length, for New Comedy, with First Ruler the first Godolphin horse home in third.

“It was smooth, I was in a nice rhythm,” said UK-based jockey Kingscote, riding his second UAE winner but first since 2015. “He’s a horse who can stay further but he has the pace to stay with them early on.”

Another laying down a pointer for the Dubai World Cup meeting was Purebred Arabian RB Rich Lyke Me, who cruised to a second successive win in G1 Maktoum Challenge R1 for trainer Fawzi Nass and jockey Adrie De Vries.

Despite facing a strong field of 16, De Vries never had a moment’s concern on the seven-year-old who was quickly into the lead despite his wide draw in 11. Turning into the straight well in command, he broke the Arabians’ track record in beating Barakka by almost seven lengths.

“It’s good to have him back in his old form,” said De Vries. “I think on this ground he can do a mile and a quarter. The pressure was on early, they wanted to take him on, but he’s got that natural speed that gets him out of trouble.”

Later on, there was a Carnival winner at the very first attempt for new trainer Julio Olascoaga, when Long Kiss caused an upset in the Jumeirah Classic Trial, for three-year-olds over 1400metres on turf. A winner on dirt on his UAE debut, the Brazilian-bred conceded weight to the whole field and left it late to launch his challenge. Ridden by Jose Da Silva, he just got up by a nose on the line to deny British raider Felix Natalis by a head.

“He’s a special horse; he’s proved he can go on both surfaces, so we’re super happy with him,” said Olascoaga. “He worked well on the turf so we were confident he could go on it too.

“He needs further, that’s for sure, I think that a mile will be good for him.”

Carnival action continues next week, on Friday January 13^th, when the Group 2 Al Rashidiya is the feature.