Space Blues heads strong squad for Dubai World Cup undercard

Prolific sprinter Space Blues joins a raft of Dubai World Cup Carnival graduates looking to impress in the supporting races on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Saturday.

Five-year-old Space Blues (William Buick) finished seventh in the 2020 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint but returns to Meydan for the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint having won all five of his subsequent starts for Charlie Appleby.

After securing a first G1 win with a scintillating display in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, France, in August, the Dubawi entire made an exciting return to action with victory in the 1351 Turf Sprint at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February.

If he is not up to par on the day, Appleby has reserves declared in G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Royal Crusade (Mickael Barzalona) and Listed Dubai Sprint winner Man of Promise (Richard Mullen). Buick will be aboard Space Blues.

Final Song (Christophe Soumillon) has excelled over six furlongs at Meydan this season and the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained filly goes into the Al Quoz Sprint on the back of a brave success in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday.

Appleby said: “It is a different ball game for Space Blues taking on the real sprinters over a straight six furlongs but we feel that he is the horse to beat. He was fresh and keen when he ran over this course and distance last year and ended up doing everything the wrong way round. He is a five-year-old now and the finished article.

“Royal Crusade needed his run on Super Saturday and has stripped much fitter as a result. If you put that last run aside and look at his Deauville form, when he beat a subsequent G1 winner, it puts him in the mix.

“Man Of Promise didn’t turn up last time and we are putting a line through that run. His previous win was very impressive, although he did have a very light weight on that occasion.”