Dubai: Gamilati overpowers foes in 1000 Guineas

[bc_video_id:243416:]Gamilati’s last-to-first stretch move produced an impressive 5 1/2-length victory in the UAE 1000 Guineas on Friday at Meydan in Dubai.

Winner of the Guineas trial last month in her synthetic-surface debut, Gamilati moved significantly forward with her Friday performance. The filly she had beaten by 2 3/4 lengths in the trial, Alsindi, finished almost nine lengths behind Gamilati in Friday’s race, a listed stakes with a purse of $250,000. Winning time for one mile on the Tapeta surface was 1:38.84.

Gamilati, a Bernardini filly owned by Godolphin and trained by Mahmood al Zarooni, was a Group 2 winner last year in England, and gives evidence of being a high-quality performer. Relaxing nicely for jockey Frankie Dettori after being taken to the back of a six-horse field, Gamilati essentially galloped for three-quarters of a mile before being asked for run after turning wide into the homestretch. She quickly reached the leaders and cruised to the front, racing alone through the final-half furlong.

Pimpernel, another Godolphin and al Zarooni runner, finished second. Making her first start since last fall, Pimpernel was over-eager and pulling hard for most of the trip, and also encountered traffic trouble during the middle to late stages of the race.

Gamilati could make her next start in the UAE Oaks, and is also a long-range contender for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket this spring.

In other Friday action at Meydan, Hitchens beat Krypton Factor by a nose in a hotly contested edition of the Group 3, $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint. David Barron trains Hitchens, a 7-year-old who was ridden to victory by Silvestre de Sousa.