Godolphin, Appleby score hat trick at Meydan

A week after sweeping two Group stakes at Meydan Racecourse, Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby won three more on Thursday night at Meydan.

Mythical Magic proved much the best in the Group 2, $250,000 Zabeel Mile, Divine Image just got up in the Group 2, $250,000 UAE Oaks, and Spotify won the Group 3, $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes. William Buick rode Mythical Magic and Divine Image, while James Doyle was aboard Spotify.

Mythical Magic was the best winner among the trio, with Buick working out a perfect trip covered up and just behind the leaders in this 1,600-meter turf race in great part because his mount traveled so well from the start. Second-last out in the 1,400-meter Al Fahidi Fort, his Dubai debut, Mythical Magic benefited from shaking off rust in that start and was better suited to Thursday’s longer trip. Century Dream took over the lead midway around the far turn in the Zabeel Mile, Mythical Magic following right behind while always looking like he was going the better of the pair and eventually drawing clear to post a three-length victory.

Mythical Magic, a 4-year-old gelding by Ifraaj out of Mythie, by Octagonal, was timed in a solid 1:36.39 over good going and paid $7.20 to win in North American wagering.

Mythical Magic missed most of his 3-year-old season while battling physical issues, but has come right this winter. Appleby mentioned the Doncaster Stakes in Australia as a potential target.

In the UAE Oaks, a 1,900-meter, two-turn dirt race, Divine Image got off to a far better start than in the UAE 1,000 Guineas, her Dubai debut, but still needed nearly the entire long Meydan homestretch to wear down pacesetting Swift Rose. All credit to the longtime leader, but her form was very, very modest for a horse at this level, and Divine Image would need a considerable step forward to factor in a race like the $2 million UAE Derby, a race for which she’s being considered.

While Diving Image broke much better Thursday she acted petulantly when assistant starters attempted to load her into the gate and got very hot before the race. She lacked early speed and had to work to stride out and run down Swift Rose in the final stakes. Swift Rose in upper stretch had put away pace-pressing Silva, who came nowhere near duplicating her blowout UAE 1,000 Guineas win and checked in eighth.

Spotify got loose on a comfortable lead in the Dubai Millennium over 2000 meters on grass and just held off Racing History, posting yet another Dubai World Cup Carnival stakes win for Appleby and Godolphin. Spotify drifted out late and had to survive a foul claim by the runner-up’s jockey, Christophe Soumillon. Spotify, a 5-year-old horse by Redoute’s Choice out of Gwenseb, by Green Tune, might have made his final start this winter, Appleby said, and could be aimed at a European campaign later this year.

Ekhtiyaar also turned in a noteworthy performance Thursday night, cutting back to a straight-course 1,200 meters after making his Dubai debut going 1,400 meters around a turn for trainer Doug Watson. Ekhtiyaar, bobbling here and there during the course of the race, had to make an inside run below the crest of the course, which can be tricky, but once clear the final furlong and finding his best stride, he drove clear to score by five lengths under Jim Crowley. Ekhtiyaar campaigns for Hamdan al Maktoum and is a 5-year-old gelding by Bated Breath out of Bayja, by Giant’s Causeway.