Hunter's Light captures Dubai Millennium

Hunter’s Light is likely to make his third appearance on the Dubai World Cup program next month after winning his second consecutive race in Thursday’s $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates.

Racing at about 1 1/4 miles on turf, Hunter’s Light stalked the pace to early stretch before taking the lead with a three-wide move under jockey James Doyle. Hunter’s Light was clear in the final furlong and won by 1 3/4 lengths over Umgiyo, a group stakes runner in South Africa last year.

Mr Pommeroy finished third of 10.

Hunter’s Light was a Group 1 winner in Italy in 2012 and in Dubai in 2013. He was seventh behind Animal Kingdom in the 2013 Dubai World Cup and eighth in the 2014 Dubai Duty Free.

The Dubai Duty Free, run at 1 1/8 miles, has been renamed the Dubai Turf for the Dubai World Cup program on March 28. The race could be on the schedule for Hunter’s Light, a 7-year-old who races for the Maktoum family’s Godolphin Racing and trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Hunter’s Light won a minor handicap at Meydan on Jan. 29.

In Thursday’s $200,000 Balanchine Stakes for fillies and mares, Cladocera, a stakes winner in France in 2014, won for the second time this year at Meydan. Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Cladocera rallied six-wide in early stretch and won the race at 1 1/8 miles on turf by 1 3/4 lengths over Anahita.