Appleby lands treble at third meeting of Meydan’s 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival

The meeting was highlighted by the $250,000 Cape Verdi which was won in style by Poetic Charm for the second of the trainer’s eventual treble on the night. The winner was a seventh in the race for Godolphin and a fourth in consecutive years as well as a second success for Appleby.

Godolphin would go on to land four winners on the night that also featured a fine showing by Scandinavian horses including a resounding victory by Swedish sprinter I Kirk.

The evening’s feature, the $250,000 Cape Verdi, was run over 1600 metres and restricted to fillies and mares. Poetic Charm had only ever raced as a juvenile, winning all five starts including both the Group 1 National Stakes and Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes for Jim Bolger but that proved no hindrance to its chances. With William Buick suspended, James Doyle proved a more than capable deputy as Poetic Charm was always travelling strongly and made smooth progress early in the straight. The pair swept past the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Asoof under Christophe Soumillon with 200 metres remaining to eventually win by four lengths. Multiple G1 winner Furia Cruzada closed steadily to gain third under Antonio Fresu.

Speaking afterwards Doyle said: “I was a bit short of room for a moment, but once the gap opened, I knew I had the horse underneath me and she picked up in style.

“She has a lot of speed, this filly, and could win over seven (furlongs/1400 metres), but the extra furlong and nine furlongs in the Balanchine should not be a problem.”

The first of Appleby’s three winners came in the second race on the card, the Azizi Riviera, a 2810 metre handicap on the turf thanks to Ispolini.

Having been second on the opening night of the Carnival a fortnight ago in a 2410 metre turf handicap won by Godolphin’s Bin Battuta, Appleby’s charge went one place better this time again under Doyle who also picked up the first of his two winners on the night. The race favourite settled at the back initially and circled the field turning for home before winning over Denmark’s Suspicious Mind, who looked like he could contend but was ultimately outclassed by a length and a quarter. The bin Suroor-trained Red Galileo, ridden by Soumillon was third.

Appleby had to wait until the penultimate race of the night before completing his treble which came courtesy of a very comfortable victory for First Nation in the Azizi Star, a 2000 metre handicap on the turf.

The winner was chased home by stable companion Nordic Lights, who tried his best to make all the running under Colm O’Donoghue. However they were unable to thwart First Nation, under former UAE champion jockey Brett Doyle, from coming in four and a half lengths clear at the line. The success also provided [Brett] Doyle, now best known as the work rider of Appleby and Godolphin’s 2018 Epsom Derby winner Masar, with his first Carnival victory.

The evening’s opening race saw Sweden open their 2019 Carnival account with the dominant victory of I Kirk in the Azizi Farishta.

Having flown out of the stalls, the Susanne Berneklint-trained winner ridden by Carlos Lopez was never headed in the 1200 metre handicap contest on the dirt, coming in three and a half lengths clear of the Kenny McPeek-trained Honorable Treasure in second. The runner-up closed resolutely in the final furlong and hinting that a longer trip may be in order, whilst I Kirk will now likely be aimed towards the Group 1 $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen over the same distance on Dubai World Cup night.

Trainer Sandeep Jadhav was responsible for three of the 11 runners in the Azizi Aliyah, a 1600 metre handicap on the dirt, and combined with Royston Ffrench to land the spoils with Capezzano, The pair made smooth progress on the home turn before hitting the front with about 100 metre remaining, passing Galvanize who lost second close home to the Doug Watson-trained stable companion Thegreatcollection on the line.

The finale, the Azizi Mina, a 1600 metre turf handicap, provided Saeed bin Suroor with a treble of his own— a 1-2-3 finish when Chris Hayes steered Desert Fire to out-battle Race Day by a neck, with another length separating Bedouin’s Story back in third. Godolphin was to sweep the top five with the Appleby-conditioned Key Victory and Fly At Dawn coming in fourth and fifth.

The next action at Meydan is this Saturday, 19 January, with seven-race card, sponsored by the Al Naboodah Group.