Benbatl much the best in Dubai Turf
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Benbatl arrived in Dubai last fall as a Group 3 winner at Royal Ascot earlier in the year who had shown ample promise. Benbatl will return to England in the coming weeks as a Group 1 winner expected to be part of Europe’s leading turf races.
On Saturday at Meydan Racecourse, Benbatl scored a career-defining win in the $6 million Dubai Turf at 1 1/8 miles on the Dubai World Cup program. The Dubai Turf was Benbatl’s first win in a Group 1 and his fourth group stakes win.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, Benbatl was always near the front in the one-turn race. Murphy positioned Benbatl behind Janoobi, who had a clear lead for the first seven furlongs.
Benbatl took command in early stretch, leading with about 300 meters to go. He was not troubled by his 14 rivals, winning by seven lengths over the Japanese shippers Vivlos, Deidre, and Real Steel, with the latter two in a dead heat for third. Promising Run finished fifth, followed by Leshlaa, Crocosmia, Neorealism, War Decree, Blair House, Lancaster Bomber, Janoobi, Trais Fluors, Monarchs Glen, and Championship.
Lancaster Bomber was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar last November.
Benbatl, by Dubawi, was bred in England by Godolphin Racing and is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Fifth in the English Derby last June, Benbatl won the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot less than three weeks later.
Earlier this year at Meydan, Benbatl won consecutive stakes in the Group 3 Singspiel Stakes on Jan. 11 and the Group 2 Al Rashidiya Sakes. Benbatl was second to Blair House in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta Stakes on March 10 in a key prep race for the Dubai Turf.
Benbatl has won 5 of 12 starts. He earned $3.6 million for the win in the Dubai Turf and has career earnings of $4,168,238.
Benbatl gave Godolphin its second of three Group 1 wins on the program. Earlier, Jungle Cat won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint on turf. In the race following the Dubai Turf, Godolphin’s Hawkbill won the Group 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf.
The Dubai Turf was the richest career win for the 22-year-old Murphy, whose stature has grown considerably in Europe and Dubai in recent years. He is the nephew of Jim Culloty, a trainer in Ireland best known for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup for steeplechasers on the famous Best Mate from 2002-04.
