Mythical Magic leads an Appleby Dubai World Cup Carnival treble at Meydan

Ridden by William Buick, the victory by three lengths was the highlight of a Group treble for Appleby, whilst owners Godolphin were triumphant in four of the six races filled with Thoroughbred stars from eight different nations.

Al Tayer Motors sponsored the evening with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai also in attendance to see the feature race, the Group 2 $250,000 Zabeel Mile.

The line-up included a complex field of milers looking to earn their way to the Group 1 $6 million Dubai Turf next month and the race turned out to be an exciting contest as the two market favourites, Century Dream (ridden by Oisin Murphy) and Mythical Magic kicked on aggressively from the field with 500 metres remaining. It set the stage for an exciting final straight, however it was Mythical Magic which proved fitter of the two, drawing level and going past his rival with a furlong remaining and powering clear at the line for the four-year-old’s third success from nine starts.

First Contact, ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, Wootton (James Doyle) and South African G1 winner Marinaresco (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) all closed well to complete the top five, whilst defending champion Janoobi made sixth.

Speaking afterwards, Buick said;

“It was an excellent performance. He’s a beautiful, imposing horse and he’s getting things together now.

“His last run over seven furlongs in the Al Fahidi Fort was obviously an eye-catching run. Up to the mile tonight, things really came together for him and he put in a good performance.

“He did the job well. Century Dream was the horse to beat without a question, but I think Mythical Magic had a fitness edge with a run under his belt.”

Appleby added; “I thought he would come forward. He went to his girth there and stayed on nicely in the Al Fahidi Fort and we thought the step up in trip was going to suit. We’ll have a chat (about the Dubai Turf). He could maybe go to Australia for the Doncaster, but obviously we’ll get back and regroup and see where we are.

Very pleasing night. He’s always been a bit tricky and he’s in great nick now. It’s been worth persevering with. When you’re on the kind of roll that we’re on now, the confidence certainly flows throughout the stable.”

That success completed the treble for Appleby which was secured after Godolphin’s Divine Image won the $250,000 UAE Oaks sponsored by Range Rover.

With Buick again at the helm, the winner came with a brilliant late run in the 1900 metre contest on the dirt course to deny leader Swift Rose and Hayley Turner by a neck, handing Appleby a first victory in the fillies’ $2.5 million UAE Derby preparation.

Sitting handily, the 3-year-old star chased Saeed bin Suroor’s charge round the home turn, but closed resolutely to land her first Group victory in her third lifetime start.

Aside from Divine Image’s hard-fought victory, Doug Watson trainee Razeena turned in an eye-catching performance with Pat Dobbs aboard, sitting four-wide off pace setter Swift Rose to stay on for third by three and a half lengths.

The first of Appleby’s treble came in the $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes thanks to another close victory this time by Spotify.

The winner broke well and was sent to the front of the pack by jockey James Doyle, setting a steady pace with stablemate Oasis Charm raced keenly in behind with Racing History on his inside in a good position.

The pack was still tightly knit reaching the 1200 mark and it was still anyone’s race as they turned for home. Spotify attempted to draw clear into the final stretch with the field behind him all mounting their challenges, however Doyle ensured his mount held on to win by a short head from a closing Racing History, with First Nation and Team Talk running on well for third and fourth place.

For Spotify it was his second win in as many starts for the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival following a success in the Al Taweelah Trophy on 24 January with the 5-year-old also maintaining his 100% record for his trainer in the process.

The victory also represented a third success for Appleby in the race having triumphed in 2018 and 2016 with Folkswood and Tryster respectively.

The meeting opened with the Jaguar F Pace, a 1400 metre dirt handicap, in which Rodiani landed the spoils.

The five-year-old under jockey Connor Beasley found produced a decisive turn of foot about 250 metres from home to see off the challenge of Moqarrab who ran on well for second in his dirt debut.

The 1200metre turf handicap, the Land Rover Discovery, that followed looked open on paper but it proved a straightforward assignment for Ekhtiyaar, saddled by Doug Watson for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and partnered by the owner’s retained jockey, Jim Crowley.

Formerly trained in Great Britain by Roger Varian, winning three times, the five year old made a useful local debut when third on the first night of the Carnival, at the beginning of January but had not been seen in competitive action since.

On this return he was always travelling well for Crowley and the pair powered clear entering the final 400 metre to win in the style by just over five lengths.
Watson confirmed afterwards that Super Saturday’s Group 3 $350,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on 9 March was the likely next target for Ekhtiyaar.

The concluding 1600 metre turf handicap, the Range Rover Velar, was contested by the biggest field of the night with the maximum of 16 allowed and it provided Godolphin with its fourth success of the evening.

This time it was Saeed bin Suroor saddling the winner courtesy of Major Partnership, earning a first ever UAE success for jockey Kevin Stott.

Having been settled in midfield, the four year-old horse who was having his third Carnival start made progress early in the straight before hitting the front about 250 metres from home. From here, the pair always seemed to have the race in control even if the winning margin by a neck from Above N Beyond in second and Cliffs of Capri back in third by the same distance does not do it justice.

The next racing at Meydan is next Thursday, 28 February, with the ninth meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the last ahead of the Carnival’s Super Saturday meeting on Saturday 9 March.