Thursday’s fifth meeting of the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan was a high quality one, officially highlighted by the $163,000 Gr2 Zabeel Mile sponsored by Al Tayer Motors.
The contest turned out to be a thriller with D’Bai produced to lead in the dying strides by William Buick to snatch the spoils for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.
D’Bai wins the Gr2 Zabeel Mile, giving Charlie Appleby a hat-trick of consecutive titles and fifth overall in this race(Pic- Erika Rasmussen and Dubai Racing)
Eleven faced the starter in the 1600m turf feature and the vast majority, at one stage or another, threatened to win with Jim Crowley allowed to set a modest tempo on Eqtiraan, a lead they only relinquished about 225m out.
Art Du Val, a stable companion and James Doyle then made their bid for glory, leading for about 150m when snared by First Contact under Tadhg O’Shea.
Meanwhile, Buick had switched D’Bai wide to make his challenge, avoiding any traffic problems and they finished to great purpose, thwarting First Contact close home to give Appleby his fifth win in the race in seven years, all bar one partnered by Buick.
It was also a third consecutive Zabeel Mile for the trainer after Buick won the race in 2019 on Mythical Magic with James Doyle on last year’s winner, Zakouski.
A 7-year-old Dubawi gelding, he was registering his eighth career success and second at Group Two level having also landed the 1400m Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort in 2019.
Buick said: “He is the kind of horse you have to ride like that especially in that kind of race when you know they are not going to go very quickly.
“Once I had racing room on the outside I knew I had time to get there and he has really responded well when I needed him to.”
