Promising Run heads Godolphin four-timer at Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan

Victory came in the evening’s feature race, the Group 2 Cape Verdi, as trainer Saeed bin Suroor saw his charge ease to a comfortable victory under jockey Pat Cosgrave for the third of the eventual four winners on the card.

Restricted to fillies and mares and run over 1600 metres on turf, the race attracted a field of eight but very few were able to make an impression as Cosgrave settled Promising Run in behind early leader Rehana.

The pair started to pull clear of the rest at the top of the long straight and looked set to fight out a duel, but Rehana had no answer as Promising Run quickened, the latter winning by four and a half lengths with Aljuljalah a close third.

Godolphin and bin Suroor got the perfect start to the meeting with a smooth victory for Don’t Give Up in the EGA Potlines Trophy.

The handicap was run over 2000 metres on dirt and Don’t Give Up, with jockey Gerald Mosse at the helm, was content to track Active Spirit before sweeping past that rival at the top of the straight and running on strongly. Saltarin Dubai was the eventual second a length and three-quarters back, with Alabaster and further two and three-quarters of a lengths adrift in third.

The trial for the UAE 2000 Guineas, a 1400 metre dirt conditions race for three-year-old colts and geldings, was split into two divisions. The first was a one horse race from just after halfway with Godolphin’s Gold Town, sent straight to the front by William Buick. Once the pair skipped clear off the bend, the race was over in a matter of strides with the margin of victory by four and a quarter lengths from Roland Rocks in second and Roy Orbison in third every bit as emphatic as it suggests.

The second division was a close affair and also appeared to be heading in favour of Godolphin, this time with bin Suroor-trained Racing Country who was in front for the majority of the race under Christophe Soumillon.

However, Luke Morris was making ground on El Chapo, having his first start for Fawzi Nass and they threw down a challenge in the straight, passing Soumillon’s mount to win by a half a length despite a further last ditch rally by Racing Country.

Earlier, jockey Adrie de Vries produced a perfect ride from the front to land the EGA Al Taweelah Trophy aboard Los Barbados for Nass who also part owns the horse with Emirates Entertainment Racing Club.

The winner was unlucky not to finish closer when fourth on the opening night of the Carnival two weeks ago, but that will have been quickly forgotten with the horse sent straight to the lead in the handicap contest run over a 2810 metres on the turf.

With none of the other seven runners interested in contesting the pace, De Vries was able to set a steady pace before gradually quickening the tempo on the back straight. The pair committed for home at the top of the home straight and Los Barbados stayed on resolutely to land the spoils by three-quarters of a length from Prince of Arran in second and Natural Scenery in third.

It may not have featured as a carnival race but the EGA Billets Trophy, a 1600 metre handicap on the dirt, was won comfortably by Claim the Roses.

The Salem bin Ghadayer-trained horse was never far away under Mickael Barzalona and he was sent to the front 500 metres from the line before running on strongly, making it third time lucky in the UAE thanks to success by a length and three-quarters from Sea Skimmer in second and Mazeed in third.

Bahraini Nass almost completed an unforgettable treble and Mosse a double when Jordan Sport was narrowly denied in the EGA Jebel Ali Trophy, a 1000 metre turf handicap.

However they were denied by compatriot Jaber Ramadhan who saddled winner Dutch Masterpiece. Always in front of the group racing on the nearside, Dutch Masterpiece took an overall advantage at about halfway and powered on strongly, providing Pat Smullen with some compensation after his defeat on Rehana.

With all the rivals around him beaten with 200 metres left, Smullen’s mount was left to contend with Mosse and Jordan Sport, who had taken control of those racing on the far side about the same moment the eventual winner led outright, drifted towards the centre. They ran on strongly, as did Yard Line in third and Out Do in fourth but the line came in time for Dutch Masterpiece, providing a first UAE winner for his trainer.

The final race of the meeting, the EGA Casthouse Trophy, provided Godolphin with their fourth and final victory on the evening when the bin Suroor-trained Mountain Hunter led the way for a comfortable success.

The plaudits went to jockey Christophe Soumillon for a fine ride as he steered his mount to a three length success ahead of the Charlie Appleby-trained banner-mate Banksea under William Buick in second, whilst In The Lope was third.

The next racing at Meydan will be the fourth meeting of the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival which will be run next Thursday, 1 February.