Old Persian gets first Group 1 win in Sheema Classic

Old Persian, a three-time Group 2 winner in England and Dubai since June, won his first Group 1 race in Saturday’s $6 million Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai thanks to a well-timed move by jockey William Buick.

Old Persian was racing behind pacesetter Rey do Oro and Magic Wand entering the stretch when Buick positioned his mount to the outside and found racing room. Old Persian was clear in midstretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Cheval Grand, one of Japan’s leading older horses. Suave Richard, a Grade 1 winner in Japan last year, finished third in the field of eight.

Buick credited Old Persian for the way the 4-year-old rallied from a stalking position in the final three furlongs.

“I have to give credit to the horse,” Buick said. “He finds his own passage and has really improved. He has a big turn of foot now. It was a beautiful performance from the horse.”

Old Persian was the third of four major stakes wins on the night for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing. Aside from Old Persian, Buick and trainer Charlie Appleby teamed for two other wins for Godolphin – the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on turf with Cross Counter and the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint with Blue Point.

Later, the Godolphin-owned Thunder Snow, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, won the Dubai World Cup.

Old Persian was never far from the front in the Sheema Classic.

Old Persian held off a decent threat in deep stretch from Cheval Grand, who had not raced since a third in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen in Japan on Dec. 23.

“It was a bit of a sprint home, which played into the winner’s hands,” said Hugh Bowman, who rode Cheval Grand. “My bloke ran his heart out, and I’m very proud of him.”

Hunting Horn, third in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January, finished fourth for trainer Aidan O’Brien, whose stable also finished fifth with Magic Wand. A 4-year-old filly, Magic Wand was second in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January.

Rey De Oro faded to sixth, followed by Racing History and Desert Encounter.

Old Persian, a 4-year-old colt by Dubawi, has won 8 of 13 starts and earned $4,196,979. The win in the Sheema Classic was worth $3.6 million.

Last year, Old Persian won the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He was fifth in the Group 1 St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster last September in his final start at 3.

In a prep race for the Sheema Classic, Old Persian won the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Meydan on March 9.