Dubai: Lazuli pulls away to win Blue Point Stakes

Lazuli won for the first time since May and recorded his fourth stakes win in Friday’s Group 2 Blue Point Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

The win moved Lazuli closer to a potential start in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on turf on the Dubai World Cup undercard March 26.

Ridden by William Buick, Lazuli ($3.20) stalked the pace early in the five-furlong race, took the lead in the final quarter-mile, and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 9-1 Acklam Express in a field of nine.

Owned by Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby, Lazuli won the most prestigious race of his career in the $180,000 Blue Point Stakes. Last summer, Lazuli finished seventh in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Saratoga in his only American appearance to date.

A winner of 6 of 14 starts, Lazuli has won three sprint stakes in England, including the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket last May, his only win in a four-race campaign last year.

Godolphin and Appleby teamed to win Friday’s Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy at 1 3/4 miles on turf with undefeated 4-year-old Manobo. Ridden by Buick, Manobo ($2.80) was second for the first 1 1/2 miles and cruised to an easy win by 5 1/2 lengths over 70-1 East Asia.

Manobo has won five races, including the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay at 1 7/8 miles at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris in October. The colt could start in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at two miles on March 26, although Appleby mentioned the Group 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on the same program as an option.

The Kentucky-bred filly Shahama remained unbeaten in four starts with an expected win in the Group 3 United Arab Emirates Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 3/16 miles on dirt.

Ridden by Adrie de Vries, Shahama ($2.20) overcame a poor start and closed from last in a field of seven to win by two lengths over 10-1 Arabian Gazelles. The $150,000 UAE Oaks was the stakes debut for Shahama, who was purchased for $425,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-olds in training sale in Florida last April.

Shahama, by Munnings, is a Kentucky-bred filly trained by Fawzi Abdulla Nass. The first four finishers of the UAE Oaks were bred in Kentucky. Arabian Gazelles is by Mastery and was followed in the order of finish by Minwah, who is by Cupid, and Remas, by Blame.

Shahama earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks for her UAE Oaks victory.