Bold Silvano wins Maktoum Challenge

Bold Silvano gave trainer Mike de Kock his fourth win of the night with a handy triumph in Round 2 of the Group 3, $200,000 Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Thursday.

Leading for much of the way through the 1 3/16 miles on Tapeta, Bold Silvano, a 4-year-old South African-bred, allowed the eventual runner-up, Spring of Fame, to assume command on the turn for home before reasserting himself under Christophe Soumillon, who was riding his third winner of the evening.

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Although drifting out late, Bold Silvano prevailed over Spring of Fame by 1 1/2 lengths, stopping the clock in 1:57.71. Interaction, the 2009 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini winner, was up for third along the rail, 1 1/2 lengths behind Spring of Fame and a nose in front of the Dubai Duty Free winner, Al Shemali.

Gitano Hernando, off slowly and last of nine for much of the way, saw his wide bid flatten out as he came home fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in all. The Ben Cecil-trained Crowded House weakened into seventh, 8 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

A South African-bred son of Arlington Million winner Silvano, Bold Silvano had not run since July 31, when he landed South Africa’s premier race, the 1 3/8-mile Durban July Cup Handicap. This was his first attempt on a synthetic track and marks him as a contender for the Dubai World Cup.

Hong Kong-based Ricky Yiu, the trainer of ace sprinter Sacred Kingdom, saddled his first winner in Dubai when Dynamic Blitz upset the $200,000, six-furlong Al Shindagha Sprint, a Group 3 prep for the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Unplaced in three Group 3 turf sprints at Sha Tin, Dynamic Blitz, an Elusive Quality gelding, drew clear for a 2 1/4-length victory over Alazeyab in his first try on a synthetic surface. Ridden by Hong Kong-based Olivier Doleuze, Dynamic Blitz was timed in 1:10.47. Favored Our Giant was fourth, but Sangaree, making his first start for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, labored home in eleventh.

Mahbooba outclassed her seven rivals in the $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas as she cruised to victory in the one-mile listed event on Tapeta. Second last time in the seven-furlong 1000 Guineas Trial when spotting her de Kock-trained stablemate Reem seven, this Australian-bred daughter of Galileo relished the extra furlong, going away under Christophe Soumillon for a 3 3/4-length score over Reem at equal weights. A juvenile Group 1 winner in South Africa, Mahbooba looks like death and taxes in the 1 1/8-mile UAE Oaks on Feb. 24.

The Ben Cecil-trained Ferneley faded late in his Dubai debut,finishing seventh of 11, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by the de Kock-trained Warsaw in a seven-furlong turf handicap worth $175,000.