mobanmarketDubai: British trainers are making their presence felt at the 2020 Dubai World Cup Carnival — winning three of the six races during the third meeting of the famous racing festival at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday.
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Simon Crisford, the former Godolphin Racing Manager, set the ball rolling when he saddled his first winner at the 10-week long event with the ultra-consistent Roulston Scar in the opening Riviera 2 handicap over 1,200 metres on turf.
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He was followed into the winner’s enclosure by Mick Channon, one-time famed English footballer turned racehorse trainer, who won the 2,000m Listed Zabeel Turf with the promising Certain Lad.
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Former jumps jockey David O’Meara completed Britain’s profitable day at the Carnival when the evergreen Suedois won the 10th race of what has been a rather illustrious career featuring 49 races.
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The nine-year-old looks to be in the form of his life, having enjoyed a smashing campaign last year when he hit the board in all starts and \won the Group 3 Supreme Stakes at Goodwood.
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“He’s a fantastic horse, a Grade 1 winner and has won a load of prize money,” O’Meara said. “We’re delighted. I wasn’t sure we won it when he crossed the finish, but he ran a great race.
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“I did think about running in the Group 2, but thought it would be a tougher race and he is well up to running in a handicap.
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He gave a lot of weight away, but good horses like him who has won a Grade 1, can give weight away and still win. After here, we could look at the Zabeel Mile (G2),” he added, oozing confidence.
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Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby, who operates out of the Marmoon Stables in Dubai during the Winter and Moulton Paddosk in Newmarket, England, during the summer landed the feature race of the evening, the Group 2 $250,000 Cape Verdi, with the enchanting Magic Lily.
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However, the five-year-old daughter of New Approach needed to conjure up something special to deny French raider Nisreen by a nose.
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James Doyle, Godolphin’s retained rider, was at his brilliant best to win a thrilling battle with Frenchman Pierre-Charles Boudot. “I did not think I had won in a head-down drive, but Magic Lily is tough and very game,” said the Englishman.
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“She will definitely be better going up another furlong. We think she is a nine or 10-furlong filly and the Group 2 Balanchine (1m 1f, Thursday, February 13) will suit.”
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Channon, who was fiercely competitive during his football playing days, retains that spirit and said of Certain Lad: “He has always been a good horse, he was in good form and we had the (nerve) to go and it worked out.
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“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.
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“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.”
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The fourth DWC Carnival evening will take place on Thursday, January 23, with a 6.30pm post time. Live racing, however, returns in two days with a domestic Racing at Meydan meeting on Saturday, January 18. First post is 5.30pm.
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The Morning and Evening Brief###
The Morning and Evening Brief