Naval Crown and his owner and breeder, Godolphin, were the stars Friday of the second racing program of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Godolphin won five of the card’s seven races, sweeping the top three placings in two races and the top two in another. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor had a three-win night and trainer Charlie Appleby won two, including the Group 2, $180,000 Al Fahidi Fort with the talented 4-year-old Naval Crown.
White Hawk was 100-1 when he scored a shocking win in the Summer Cup at Hobart Racecourse in Australia last January.
A year later, White Hawk is 8 and still winning as a longshot, though not at such a spectacular price. On Dec. 3, White Hawk won a handicap at about a mile at odds of 60-1 on the synthetic track at Devonport Racecourse. On Jan. 5, White Hawk won the Devonport Handicap at 1 3/16 miles at 16-1 at Devonport.
Last Saturday, Holyfield finished second by a nose in the $728,000 Magic Millions Cup at Gold Coast Racecourse in Australia.
Holyfield is not staying in trainer Annabel Neashem’s stable for long.
Saturday, Holyfield makes a rapid turnaround in the $109,000 Carrington Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney where the 4-year-old gelding has an excellent chance to win his first stakes since August 2020.
Three group stakes and a matchup of UAE Derby winners are the highlights on the second card of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday at Meydan Racecourse.
The highest-level racing on Friday’s seven-race card comes on turf with the Group 2, $180,000 Al Rashidiya over about 1 1/8 miles and the Group 2, $180,000 Al Fahidi Fort over about seven furlongs. The Group 3, $150,000 Dubawi Stakes is a 1,200-meter dirt sprint, a stepping-stone toward the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup card in March.
The Australian filly Empowerment, who starts in a six-furlong handicap at Port Macquarie Racecourse on Friday, had tough assignments in December and earlier this month in her first two starts following a four-month layoff.
Empowerment finished sixth in two lucrative sale progeny races at Wyong and Gold Coast racecourses, going off as a longshot in each start. At Gold Coast on Jan. 8, Empowerment was not beaten far – 2 3/4 lengths - in a race for 3- and 4-year-old fillies.
The Australian gelding Tuvalu had a fine start to his career in 2021, winning three of his first five starts.
The race record looks more impressive now than it did last year.
Unraced since August, Tuvalu resumes racing in a seven-furlong handicap at Warrnambool Racecourse west of Melbourne on Thursday. Tuvalu won his debut at Warrnambool in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs last January.
A nose separated victorious Sunny Star from runner-up Telecom Fighters the last time they met in a 1,650-meter Class 2 handicap at Happy Valley. They meet again in Happy Valley’s featured sixth race Wednesday and this time a major shift in the weights could change the dynamic.
Green Belt was a $105,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale by trainer Mick Price of Australia.
Under Price’s direction, Green Belt mas made an early impression in Australia.
A Kentucky-bred by Declaration of War, Green Belt was given ample time to acclimate, winning his debut in a maiden race at a mile at Cranbourne Racecourse on Jan. 2. Green Belt led throughout as the 4-5 favorite and won by 3 3/4 lengths.
