Grade 1 winner Nations Pride was the headline act on day seven of the Dubai World Cup Carnival and he didn’t let his supporters down, posting a smooth success in the Gr3 Dubai Millennium Stakes (presented by DP World.)
William Buick steers Nations Pride to victory
The winner of the inaugural Jumeirah Derby at Meydan Racecourse last season, he was dropping in distance here to 2000m but the result never really looked in doubt.
Ridden by William Buick for Charlie Appleby, the four-year-old was positioned just off the leaders and was able to pounce on stablemate Ottoman Fleet and then hold off the fast-finishing Zagrey, winning by a length and a quarter.
Appleby, winning this race for the sixth time in a row, now has big plans for the Teofilo colt, with the Group 1 Jebel Hatta and Dubai Turf under consideration.
‘Immediately, you’d say have a crack at the Dubai Turf, as they’ll go a good gallop over the 1800metres there,” he said. “But we’ll see how the cards fall.”
Appleby’s celebrated a treble which started in race four, the Lord Glitters Handicap, over 1600metres on turf. His New Kingdom had placed on all three previous starts at Meydan but gained his first local win here.
Buick did it the hard way from the front and had to endure a tense final 100metres when the unlucky in running Aegean Finale, carrying the hopes of Turkey, flew home for second, missing by a neck.
“He likes to be ridden that way and that’s what Charlie was keen to do,” said the rider. “You could drop him back to seven furlongs, no problem, as he needed the line tonight. He showed great attitude and hopefully he can build on that.”
Appleby and Buick also continued the Godolphin stranglehold on the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (presented by DP World), a prep race for the G2 Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup day.
Siskany won over course and distance in the Listed Al Khail Trophy a year ago and was impressive again here, being unleashed for a run at the 400metre marker and easily passing stablemate and pacesetter Kemari. That rival finished fourth, behind Ardakan and Al Nayyir.
“He hadn’t raced for a while so he was a bit fresh and over racing at stages,” said Buick after Godolphin’s tenth success in the 2810m turf event.
“It was impressive in the end and, like any good stayer, he has that turn of foot. He’s been rock solid from day one and hopefully he can make into a Dubai Gold Cup horse.”
