James Doyle stole the spotlight at the Dubai World Cup Carnival for the second time in two meetings .
Having racked up a hat-trick in the opening week of the carnival, Doyle once again turned out to be the star as he landed the Group 2 Al Rashidiya at Meydan on Friday.
Riding the Charlie Appleby-trained Valiant Prince, he led the first three home for Godolphin in the 1,800-metre feature race on turf in the seven-race thoroughbred card.
Doyle settled Valiant Prince fourth behind the Godolphin pair of Passion And Glory and Dubai Future, and Wirko.
They were joined by a fourth Godolphin runner, Ottoman Fleet, at the 400m marker to turn the race into a three-way battle between the royal blues, with Doyle getting the better of Dubai Future and Ottoman Fleet by three quarter length and half-a-length respectively.
“That was a big step forward from Valiant Prince on what he has achieved in the past and I think he did a good job,” Doyle said after the five-year-old Dubawi gelding stretched his unbeaten run at Meydan to three.
“While we were drawn well and had a cheap run around early, it got a little hairy on the bend, which meant the two in front got away from us a bit.
“That suited him in a way, as he does not want to see loads of daylight, and the way he picked up was quite a surprise to me. I was eager to get going but, once he got a bit of space, he felt like he was always going to win comfortably.
“It will be interesting to see what Charlie wants to do with him. He has the option of going up in trip and the way he relaxed after some time off was pretty good.”
Appleby added: “We were very pleased with Valiant Prince, who seems to have improved again with the step up to nine furlongs. We will probably head straight towards the Group 1 Jebel Hatta with him now.
“Ottoman Fleet ran a creditable race in third and I feel that stepping back up a mile and a quarter for the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes is going to suit.”
Godolphin picked up three of the four prizes in the four races they had entered their runners.
Saeed bin Suroor teamed up with Daniel Tudhope to complete a double on the night.
A new conditions race this year for fillies and mares, the 1400m Ipi Tombe Stakes was dominated by Godolphin, Saeed bin Suroor saddling the 1-2 with Danny.
Tudhope on Soft Whisper got the better of stable companion White Moonlight under Pat Cosgrave.
“Soft Whisper just keeps improving physically and is bigger and stronger than last year. We have looked after her as we have always liked but she has had a few problems,” Bin Suroor said of the five year old mare by Dubawi.
The trainer-jockey partnership completed the double by taking the concluding handicap with Electrical Storm.
Salem bin Ghadayer’s Tiger Nation maintained his perfect start after an impressive victory in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial. Mickael Barzalona sent him in front and he was never headed by his seven rivals.
A colt by Tamarkuz, he had won a 1,200m Jebel Ali maiden in style on his only previous start, on New Year’s Day, and built on that here.
“He obviously loves the dirt and should stay further so, hopefully, there is a lot more to come from him,” Barzalona, who was also completing a double after riding George Boughey’s Al Dasim 35 minutes earlier, said.
Results
6pm: Azizi Mina – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Bhupat Seemar (trainer)
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Dasim, Mickael Barzalona, George Boughey
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Tiger Nation, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Ipi Tombi Stakes – Conditions (TB) $150,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Soft Whisper, Daniel Tudhope, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Valiant Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Thunder Snow Challenge – Conditions (TB) $150,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Azizi Riviera – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Electrical Storm, Daniel Tudhope, Saeed bin Suroor
