Stakes Quotes: CAPE VERDI (G2); ZABEEL TURF (LISTED)

DUBAI (January 16, 2020)—OFFICIAL STAKES QUOTES

CAPE VERDI (GROUP 2)
$250,000 | 1600m (turf) | Fillies & Mares

Winner: MAGIC LILY
Pedigree: New Approach – Dancing Rain (Danehill Dancer)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: James Doyle
Official Time: 1:34.84 (New Stakes and Track Record)
Previous Track Record: 1:35.19 – Championship, 2017
Previous Stakes Record: 1:36.09 – Certify, 2014
Margin of Victory: Short Head

James Doyle, Jockey, MAGIC LILY (1st)—“I had my head down to ride and didn’t think we’d got up (to win), but she’s tough and very game. It didn’t go entirely our way. The plan was to lead or if not be very close, which is what happened. When (Dubai Blue) went by me (on the backstretch), it sort of set her alight. She was over-racing a little bit. She’ll definitely be better going another furlong. We think she’s a nine or ten-furlong filly.”

Pierre-Charles Boudot, Jockey, NISREEN (2nd)—“She ran very well. The pace was very strong and the way was open just at the turn and she came in really easy. She was very courageous.”

William Buick, Jockey, BEYOND REASON (3rd)—“She ran well. She would be better back to seven furlongs.”

ZABEEL TURF (LISTED)
$175,000 | 2000m (turf)

Winner: CERTAIN LAD
Pedigree: Clodovil – Chelsey Jayne (Galileo)
Owner: C. R. Hirst
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Ben Curtis
Official Time: 2:00.67 (Equals Track Record)
Track Record: 2:00.67 – Hunter’s Light, 2015
Margin of Victory: ¾ Length

Ben Curtis, Jockey, CERTAIN LAD (1st)—“He’s improving with every run. It’s unbelievable. The way he travelled today was even better. He’s a handful, but it’s probably good thing, because if he wasn’t a handful, they probably wouldn’t have flown me out to ride him. He does everything a horse should do to get himself beat, but he keeps winning. In the prelims he gets very warm and is notorious for it. He gets hot and sweaty, but it doesn’t seem to bother him in the race. He ran a bit fresh and keen the first two furlongs, but once he got into a rhythm, I was delighted. He picked them up well and kept going all the way to the line. It was a good performance. He ran a good race and the time backed it up.”

Mick Channon, Trainer, CERTAIN LAD (1st)—“He has always been a good horse, he was in good form and we had the (nerve) to go and it worked out. We’ve always thought a lot of him. He won a Listed race as a 2-year-old and was consistent last year. It’s hard to place these horse, but we knew we could be competitive tonight. You never know going against Godolphin. We’ve always been competitive and never slow at having a crack (at big races). That’s why we have race horses. We’ll have a go at the best if we can and go on to the next race (at Meydan).”

C. R. Hirst, Owner, CERTAIN LAD (1st)—“It’s really fantastic. We’re over the moon. We didn’t expect him to run so well in his first race. Obviously, he hasn’t run for a few months. We bought him back in the Newmarket sales because we didn’t think we got value and the plan was to send him down here with (assistant trainer) Jack Channon and obviously what can we say. Great ride by Ben. We really appreciate that he came out here to ride for us. Couldn’t have ridden a better race. We’ve won this now, but the main target was a race here on the 30th, but we’ll have to look at that now. I’d just like to say thank you to all the team who takes care of him at home to get him in this kind of condition to get him here.”