DUBAI // The UAE 2000 Guineas beckons for Singapore's Classic contender, Dark Matter, after the rangy colt claimed the trial race at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday night.
Godolphin had to be satisfied with second and third as Steven Burridge's charge powered up on the rail to take the lead by a half length on his first start in Dubai.
The colt must now be considered the main threat for the UAE 2000 Guineas on February 9 and a shot at the Dubai World Cup-day UAE Derby is also on the cards.
The Godolphin pair, Rassam under Mikael Barzalona, and the Frankie Dettori-ridden Kinglet were second and third after Dettori made the running.
Burridge said he may give his runner one more outing before February 9.
"He always showed potential," said Burridge, whose colt has had four wins and three second-place finishes from eight starts at Singapore's Kranji Racecourse.
"We just wanted to get him here and see if he measured up against these horses. There wasn't too much for him in Singapore and we thought that we would rather bring him over here and see what he could do in his three-year-old season than wait for the four-year-old races in Singapore."
Evidently Dark Matter measures up very well and Burridge said a tilt at the Derby would be his ultimate goal.
"That's why we came out here, to see if we might be able to pick up a bit of prize money and perhaps have a runner on World Cup night," Burridge said.
Ted Durcan, who was in the leathers for Dark Matter's victory, said he got a good feeling from the colt.
"He's done that well," Durcan said. "He's a lovely big, strong horse and he had a low post draw in the race which would have helped."
