Dubai Love, Glorious Journey claim Thursday’s top honours at Meydan
Dubai Love, ridden by Pat Cosgrave, races towards the finish line of the UAE 1000 Guineas Stake.
The Al Fahidi Fort (Group 2) -- carrying a $250,000 prize -- was a much closer 1,400m turf contest, with jockey James Doyle leading the Charles Appleby-trained and HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing-owned Glorious Journey to a win by a distance of 3/4th of a length over Mythical Magic. Mubtasim came in third in this race -- the fifth on the card.
Earlier, Dubai Love got the better of Down On Da Bayou by a 3¼ lengths in 1:37.98 minutes.
Cosgrave said: “I knew this filly would stay. She has a mile and a quarter written all over her and I think she’s come on from her first run here.
“I was quietly confident and she ran a massive race. She beat (Final Song) and I was impressed with the way she ran in the straight. I said to Saeed that after her last run, she will be a staying filly for the Oaks.”
Mickael Barzalona, jockey of Down On Da Bayou, who finished second, said: “She ran a good race. We are happy with the way she ran, again, today. She beat Final Song, who beat us last time. We are happy and it looks like the filly is improving.”
Final Song finished third under jockey Christophe Soumillon. He said: “The way she was riding today, she wouldn’t stay. She’s a proper seven-furlong filly and when you quiet, I’m sure she can handle this kind of distance, but when she was so close to the pace, she wasn’t relaxed. The last 200m you could feel she needed more oxygen. It’s not a bad run, but the way she was riding today, it wasn’t the best way to make her stay the distance.”
A beaming Doyle, after the race win for Glorious Journey, said: “It was a nice race. He’s a fun horse to have around. He cost a few quid, so it’s nice that he can repay the team. It’s a difficult decision between those three for William, because there isn’t much in it and you could see that at the line. He had the penalty and he’s a classy horse, as is Mythical Magic. He’s an exciting horse who I’m sure will improve fitness-wise. Things are going well so far. I have five winners on the board, so there are some nice horses to look forward to. We’ll take it as it comes.”
Meanwhile, trainer Appleby had this to say: “I’m delighted, as Mythical Magic is a good horse and seven furlongs is his trip. He was a bit disappointing in his last start, but he has rock-solid form. The plan now is to perhaps go to Saudi for a race just short of seven furlongs, which seems perfect for him. With Mythical Magic, we’ll probably do the same and go to the Zabeel Mile with him and Mubtasim is undecided. We’ll just have to see how he comes out. There’s a race during the Craven meeting for him and possibly at the Carnival beforehand. They’re all three Group 2/Group 3 horses and showed that they’re that caliber today.”
While William Buick, jockey of Mythical Magic, who came in second, declined comment, Brett Doyle, jockey astride third-placed Mubtasim said: “I had a very good ride. He made the pace and he made his own gallop. He just got tired in the last 100m. He ran a good race and hung on for third.”
Doug O’Neill, trainer of fourth-placed Blitzkrieg said: “You can’t be upset with a performance like that against those types of horses. He ran really well.”
Earlier, Equilateral, trained by Charlie Hills and ridden by jockey James Doyle, landed Dubai Dash – a $175,000 1000m listed stake. Equilateral pipped Waady by two lengths in O:56.60 minutes.
Doyle said: “I sat on him earlier this week and he’s pretty full of himself. He gave me a really nice feel. He couldn’t have felt better and we were pretty excited tonight. He was fresh and well in the race.
“We were going a good gallop and he was eager to get on with it. It was a just a case of hanging onto him as long as I could.”
