Dubai: Lazuli could use Blue Point as springborard to Al Quoz Sprimt

Lazuli finished a good second in the Dubai Sprint at six furlongs on turf at Meydan on Jan. 28 in his first start since Saratoga and can easily improve from that performance in Friday’s Group 2 Blue Point Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Meydan.

Lazuli is a three-time sprint stakes winner on turf in England and was even sent last summer to Saratoga, where he finished seventh in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

The well-traveled Lazuli is based in Dubai this winter with trainer Charlie Appleby. The gelding’s campaign is based around appearances in the leading turf sprints of the Meydan meeting.The $180,000 Blue Point Stakes could lead to a start in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on turf on the Dubai World Cup undercard on March 26.

Owned by Godolphin Racing, the 5-year-old Lazuli has won 5 of 13 starts. His most prestigious win was the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Newmarket Racecourse in England last May, his only win in a four-race campaign in 2021.

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In the Blue Point Stakes, Lazuli is part of a field of nine that includes Acklam Express, who was third in the 2021 Al Quoz Sprint; Khaadem, who was third in the Dubai Sprint last month; and Wild Majesty, a stakes winner in France.

Acklam Express, trained by Nigel Tinkler, was second in the 2021 Blue Point when the race was known as the Meydan Sprint. Friday’s race is the first for Acklam Express since he finished 10th of 16 in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last June.

Meydan has a six-race program beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern or 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

While the Blue Point Stakes is the highest-rated race on the program, there are two Group 3 races on the card – the $200,000 Nad Al Sheba Trophy at 1 3/4 miles on turf and the $150,000 United Arab Emirates Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 3/16 miles on dirt.

The Nad Al Sheba Trophy will be the 2022 debut of the undefeated 4-year-old Manobo, who has not raced since his fourth career win in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay at 1 7/8 miles at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris in October. Manobo races for Godolphin and Appleby and is a long-term candidate for the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at two miles on March 26.

Manobo’s main rival is Dancing King, who has not started since a win in the Group 3 March Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 3/4 miles at Goodwood Racecourse in England last August when trained by Mark Johnston. Dancing King has since been transferred to Dubai-based trainer Salem bin Ghadayer. Dancing King won 5 of 8 starts in England last year.

The undefeated filly Shahama will face a stamina test in the UAE Oaks. A three-time winner, she won her stakes debut in the UAE 1000 Guineas at a mile by 3 3/4 lengths on Jan. 28 for trainer Fawzi Abdulla Nass.

Shahama, by Munnings, is a Kentucky-bred filly purchased by Nass for $425,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in Florida last April.