DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The $5 million Dubai Duty Free was considered a wide-open race, but Cityscape turned it into a one-horse show, taking the lead midway around the far turn and galloping to a 4 1/4-length victory in course-record time.
Cityscape, a 6-year-old son of Selkirk, ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.65, lowering the mark of 1:48.74 set by Mahbooba earlier in this meet.
“The turn of foot he has is amazing, he just kept finding more,’’ winning rider James Doyle said.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Trainer Aidan O’Brien said he brought 3-year-olds Daddy Long Legs and Wrote to Dubai with the idea that if they ran well in the UAE Derby they would be considered for the Kentucky Derby.
O’Brien and the Coolmore team for which he trains may be Louisville-bound after Daddy Long Legs rolled to a 1 1/4-length victory over the French-bred - and Triple Crown nominee - Yang Tse Kiang in Saturday’s $2 million UAE Derby at Meydan. Wrote finished third, beaten only two lengths.
Dubai racing officials called off the running of the $1 million Gold Cup midway through the two-mile race after a horse broke down in the stretch the first time around the course and could not be moved. Track offiicials, after speaking with the connections of the horses, decided that the race will be re-run at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, after the Dubai World Cup.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Godolphin continued its dominance of the $1 million Godolphin Mile on Saturday as African Story rolled to a four-length victory over Viscount Nelson at Meydan.
It was the 11th win in this race from 17 runnings for Godolphin, the ninth for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, and the seventh for jockey Frankie Dettori.
It was the third win from four starts at the Dubai Racing Carnival for African Story and was a similar effort as his four-length victory in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar three weeks ago.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - With nine wins in the series, Mike de Kock is the second most successful trainer behind only Saeed bin Suroor in the history of the Dubai World Cup program.
De Kock, the champion trainer in South Africa, will be represented by 10 runners in seven of the eight Thoroughbred races for Saturday night’s 17th World Cup program at Meydan.
On Friday, De Kock sat down with Pat Cummings of Trakkus and the Dubai Racing Club for one of the few interviews he’s given all week to discuss his stable’s chances on World Cup night.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Based on the odds put out by UK bookmaker Coral, the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at five furlongs on turf is the most wide-open race on Saturday's Dubai World Cup program. Sole Power, beaten a nose in the Meydan Sprint, was Coral's 6-1 favorite.
There are four female horses in the field, and Margot Did has trainer Michael Bell believing she has a big chance.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The newest race on the Dubai World Cup card is the $2 million Gold Cup at two miles on the turf. Fox Hunt and Opinion Poll, the 1-2 finishers from the Nad al Sheba Trophy at 1 3/4 miles on March 1, head the field Saturday. Both are trained b Mahmoud Al Zarooni.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Of his seven mounts on the Dubai World Cup card on Saturday, jockey Frankie Dettori – who leads all riders with 17 World Cup night victories – believes his best chance at number 18 is with African Story in the $1 million Godolphin Mile over the Tapeta surface.
African Story has gone 2 for 3 at Meydan this winter with a neck loss in his other start. He comes off a four-length victory in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar here three weeks ago.[bc_playlist_id:247605:]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – In a press conference earlier this week, Tony Millard, the trainer of the multiple Group 1 winner Ambitious Dragon, made it clear that he did not come to Dubai from Hong Kong to take in the sights.
“I wouldn’t come here for a holiday,” Millard said.
The South African-born Millard came here to win Saturday night’s $5 million Dubai Duty Free. In Ambitious Dragon it would appear he has the horse to beat in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, which drew a field of 16.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – When Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom was withdrawn from consideration for Saturday’s $10 million Dubai World Cup due to injury, the world’s richest horse race may have lost some of its luster, at least among American viewers.
