Barney Roy looks sharp winning Dubai debut in Al Rashidiya Stakes

Probably Barney Roy’s glory days will forever remain his 3-year-old season, but the 6-year-old version of Barney Roy looked better Thursday night at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai than the 5-year-old one did in England.

Barney Roy initially was retired in 2017 after blossoming into one of Europe’s better 3-year-olds, but Barney proved infertile, ending his stallion career before it began, and he was put back in training for a spring 2019 campaign. Barney Roy wasn’t hapless, but he was a flat eighth of 16 in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes in late June when Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby stepped him up in class following two prep races.

That was Barney Roy’s last start at age 5, but his 6-year-old bow and Dubai debut in the Group 2, $250,000 Al Rashidiya Stakes on Thursday was fairly encouraging. Racing over 1,800 meters, about 1 1/8 miles, Barney Roy was somewhat slow to settle under William Buick, but relaxed enough to take up a position in midpack. Barney Roy began creeping into contention with three furlongs left to run, made his move in earnest inside the final quarter mile, and comfortably pushed past Dream Castle to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Barney Roy, who is headed to the Jebel Hatta Stakes on March 7, is by Excelebration out of Alina, by Galileo.

In the Group 3, $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint over about six furlongs on dirt, American export Gladiator King ran his Meydan record to two stakes wins from two stakes starts. Gladiator King, trained by Satish Seemar and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, typically leads but here ceded the front end to I Kirk, who was sent out of the gate and towed pace-pressing Truck Salesman into the homestretch. Truck Salesman took over inside the final quarter-mile but he, too, tired, leaving the lead and the victory to Gladiator King, who had stalked from third. Gladiator King, by Curlin out of Golden Dawn, by Hennessy, ran 1200 meters in 1:11.41 and did well to avoid significant regression following a hard-fought win Jan. 2 in the Dubawi Stakes, his first race following a long layoff.

Truck Salesman turned in a good performance himself as part of the string California-based trainer Doug O’Neill sent to Dubai earlier this month for the World Cup Carnival. The O’Neill-trained Fight On finished third Thursday in a 1600-meter dirt handicap race.

Dee Ex Bee, one of Europe’s top-rated staying horses of 2019, appeared to get tired after setting the pace in the listed Meydan Cup over about 14 furlongs, fading to finish fifth in his Dubai debut. Secret Advisor ground out a narrow victory in this grass race.