So Shiny wires UAE Guineas

So Shiny ended Godolphin's string of luck at Nad Al Sheba on Friday night as he led from start to finish in the $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas as the Saeed bin Suroor-trained pair of SOS Brillante and Devotee finsihed well up the track.

An Argentine-bred daughter of Indygo Shiner - who is also the sire of My Indy, the winner of Rounds 1 and 2 of the Maktoum Challenge this winter in Dubai - So Shiny and his rider, Michael Kinane, got away with a slow early pace in the listed mile. The half-mile went in 49.16 seconds, enabling So Shiny to pull away through the stretch for a 3 1/2-length victory over the Japanese-trained Earth Living. SOS Brillante faded to finish seventh of of 10, beaten 10 lengths, while Devotee gave way in coming home dead last, distanced by the winner. Later, she was found to be suffering from an irregular heartbeat. The time for the mile on a fast track was a tepid 1:39.06, 1.38 seconds slower than that recorded by last year's winner, Cocoa Beach.

Trained by Jerry Barton for a Saudi Arabian prince, Sultan Mohammed Saud Al Kabeer, So Shiny gained the third stakes victory of the season for that pair. They had previously combined to win with Deem in the Cape Verdi Stakes and Big City Man in the Al Shindagha Sprint. Previously second in the Group 1 Gran Premio Jorge Atucha at the Hipodromo Argentino, So Shiny will be aimed at the 1 1/8-mile UAE Oaks on Feb. 26.

Earlier, Godolphin came up with a Dubai Duty Free hopeful in Alexandros, who cruised to a handy 3 1/2-length score in a 1 1/8-mile turf handicap, his second victory in two starts this season.