Life’s a Beach as Suroor Lands Sixth Cape Verdi

There was a popular winner of the G2 Cape Verdi [sponsored by Azizi Developments] at Meydan Racecourse when Dubai Beach gave veteran Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor his sixth win in the 1600metre contest.

Before the race, much of the attention had been on dual South African G1 winner Quid Pro Quo, who ran a superb race on local debut, lunging late between Dubai Treasure and Dubai Beach and failing to catch the latter by a neck.

“She made a little hard work of it, but she’s clearly improving and this fillies’ division is there for the taking,” said winning rider Kieran Shoemark.  On Dubai Beach’s chances in the G2 Balanchine, over 1800metres, he added: “She’ll stay nine furlongs as she hit the line strongly today so she should have no trouble seeing it out.”

Quid Pro Quo’s trainer Jerome Reynier was philosophical in defeat, saying: “Adrie [De Vries, jockey] was very happy with the filly. She fought hard to the post and he thought he was going to win, but unfortunately we got beaten very narrowly.”

Bin Ghadayer on Classic Trail

The main supporting race, the Cocoa Beach Stakes [sponsored by Azizi Developments] put Labwah firmly on the Classic trail – but only just.

Salem bin Ghadayeh’s filly beat Tjareed into third in the Shahama Stakes last time out but found that rival much tougher to beat here, being headed by her in the straight and battling back for a short head success under Bernardo Pinheiro.

“If you go back through the replay you can see when she [Tjareed] passed me I still hadn’t used the whip,” said the jockey. “She was fresh from the gates, she travelled well and she has a big heart so I knew she could come back and fight.

 “I never gave up and she didn’t either. This is a special feeling for a jockey – when you ride a winner fighting back there are a load of emotions inside, which are hard to describe.”

Pinheiro and Bin Ghadayer doubled up in the penultimate Azizi Mina handicap with Folk Festival, who arrived from last place to deny Regheeb in the 1600metre contest.

“I trust what I have under my legs,” said Pinheiro. “This horse is fantastic – his turn of foot is just amazing, especially from that wide draw [14].”

Wathnan Racing and trainer Hamad Al Jehani are having a good season from their new permanent Dubai base and enjoyed a double, the highlight of which was French Duke in the closing Vazirabad Handicap.

Ridden by James Doyle, the five-year-old ran on well from midfield to beat frontrunner Claymore by a length and a quarter.

Wathnan’s earlier win came courtesy of English Oak in the Burj Azizi Handicap, over 1600metres on turf.

Ridden by Doyle, the six-year-old, a previous winner at Royal Ascot, overcame a slow start and some trouble in running, before asserting at the 100metre mark and winning by half a length from Laneqash.

“We got very excited when he won the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot,” said Doyle. “We thought he could be a potential Group horse, but things didn’t quite go his way.

“He seems to have relished being out here in sun and training around a bend. We had actually planned to be a little bit further forward. The runs did open up turning in but it’s a long straight so I just waited with him a little longer so we weren’t in daylight for too long.

“We got plenty of enjoyment out of it, so hopefully he did too.”

Beccali had a 373-day absence to overcome in the Azizi Reve Handicap, over 1400metres on turf, but settled the race in a matter of strides. It looked plain sailing for William Buick onboard Charlie Appleby’s four-year-old, who powered clear for a three and three-quarter-length success over Original Outlaw.

“He did very well after a long time off,” said Buick. “It’s a little hard to judge when the rail is so far out, as it is tonight, but a single figure draw definitely helps.

“It was a very straightforward performance and I think there’s more to come from him.”

There was a rare British-trained winner on the dirt when Antrim collected the Azizi Milan Handicap, race five, over 2200metres.

The Karl Burke-trained four-year-old, making his first start on the surface and first in Dubai, tracked the pace throughout and was unleashed at the 400metre point for a commanding three-length win over Valdivia. It was a first success in the UAE for jockey Sam James, and a second for Burke.

Earlier, Michael Costa’s Yotarid made it two wins for the season with a convincing victory in the Azizi Venice Handicap, over the straight turf 1200metres. Ridden by Ray Dawson, he sliced through the middle of a competitive field and won, going away, by a length from Echo Point.

“He’s done nothing wrong his whole career,” said Dawson. “He’s a beautiful horse and hopefully he can continue upwards. I suppose the aim would be for the Listed/Group races, but I’ll leave that to HH Sheikh Ahmed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum, owner], Michael and the team. He’s got the job done today.”

Syndicate Suited & Booted had plenty to shout about in the opening Azizi Creek Views Handicap, won by their Impressive Act. Bhupat Seemar’s gelding was held up in the early part of the race but made relentless progress in the straight, beating Breakdancer by a length and a quarter.

Sticking with the local trainers, and UAE Championship leader Ibrahim Al Hadhrami added another one thanks to Jamra SB. The Omani-bred mare ran out the comfortable winner of the Purebred Arabians’ Azizi Riviera, in the hands of Hamed Al Busaidi.

Meydan is back in action next Friday, 23 January with a superb nine-race card consisting of all Group races. The features are the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge and the G1 Jebel Hatta.