Double Dubai World Cup Carnival Delight For Godolphin While De Kock Claims Fahidi Fort
Godolphin were in double form at Meydan on Thursday evening with trainer Saeed bin Suroor and jockey Silvestre De Sousa combining to land the Group 2 Balanchine Stakes with Sajjhaa having won the preceding 1900m all-weather handicap with Con Artist.
Winner of the 1600m Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes on her local debut four weeks ago, Sajjhaa enjoyed the step up to 1800m on this occasion and, penalised for that previous win, was able to concede weight to all six rivals to complete a memorable double in the Dubai World Cup Carnival races restricted to fillies and mares.
Bin Suroor said: “She has really thrived in the Dubai weather and has won both races in good style. We will have to sit down and plan where to go with her but Super Saturday would be a possibility.”
Igugu, the much-fancied South African champion, trained by Mike de Kock finished in third place behind Mahmoud al Zarooni’s Prussian. Igugu was making her first start in nearly 13 months.
Con Artist made virtually all to open his local account to win easily at the third time of asking and De Sousa said: “I was always happy on him and he quickened well at the top of the straight to win nicely. It has been a good start to 2013.”
Mushreq wins G2 Al Fahidi Fort (Andrew Watkins / Dubai Racing Club)
South African trainer Mike De Kock was also in double form with Pat Cosgrave steering Await The Dawn to victory in the 2000m turf handicap before Paul Hanagan and Mushreq landed the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort over 1800m on the same surface. Remarkably, the trainer was winning that race for the fifth time since 2003 and South African-trained runners have scored in this contest eight times in that period.
De Kock also saddled seasonal debutants Master Of Hounds to finish second and Musir fourth and hopes both his winners could be serious contenders on Dubai World Cup night.
“Await The Dawn needed his first run badly and we thought he had a lot more to offer. We could stay on turf or perhaps try the all-weather again – I am not sure yet.
“That was a second win on his fifth 2013 start for Mushreq who has been a revelation and keeps improving. We will have to think about the Dubai Duty Free after that effort.”
The concluding 1000m turf handicap supplied trainer Seth Benzel and jockey Khamzat Ulubaev with their first local winners with Dux Scholar landing the spoils after being stepped down in trip. The Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night is the winner’s main target
