Grand National: Sunnyhillboy may benefit from shorter, safer course
A repeat performance from his nose defeat a year ago may be enough for Sunnyhillboy to win Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree Racecourse in England.
Steve AndersenApr 04, 2013
A repeat performance from his nose defeat a year ago may be enough for Sunnyhillboy to win Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree Racecourse in England.
Overreach, a filly who has won two of her first three starts, will be favored to beat males in Saturday’s $3,640,000 Golden Slipper Stakes, the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds, at Rosehill Gardens racecourse in Australia.
In a way, the Dubai World Cup was a race Animal Kingdom needed to win. Animal Kingdom had his victory in the Kentucky Derby and subsequently had performed in ways that suggested he could be a truly special horse. But suggestions do not in the end make reputations.
In 2011, Animal Kingdom won the grand prize of American racing, the Kentucky Derby. And after three years of American World Cup flops at Meydan Race Course, and another night of forgettable performances this night, he brilliantly won the $10 million World Cup here late Saturday.
Jockey Joseph O'Brien placed St Nicholas Abbey just off the pace of Shareta, and they had a clean run the entire trip, winning the Group 1, $5 million Sheema Classic by 2 1/4 lengths over favored Japanese filly Gentildonna.
Sajjhaa's convincing victory Saturday night in the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Duty Free was her fourth group stakes win of the Meydan season, and she could well be the best horse to winter in Dubai this year.
Seven-year-old Reynaldothewizard has raced in blinkers his last three starts, and he has won them all. His newfound prowess had produced a handicap win and a victory in a Group 3 stakes this winter, and on Saturday night, Reynaldothewizard hit the jackpot, winning the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Trainer Mike de Kock called Shea Shea his best hope of the World Cup card, and jockey Christophe Soumillon said he had no mount more live on the night. Shea Shea did not let them down, rallying down the outside of the course after getting an ideal trip to win the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint.
Lines of Battle earned 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with his UAE Derby win and trainer Aidan O'Brien said he will be considered for the race.
Still a 3-year-old on Northern Hemisphere time, Soft Falling Rain was eligible to race in the age-restricted UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup card, but trainer Mike de Kock chose instead to tackle older horses at a shorter distance, and was rewarded with a three-quarter-length victory in the Group 3, $1 million Godolphin Mile.