ACL to restart in September after six-month pandemic break
The Charlie Appleby-trained colt was held up in a clear fith of the seven-strong field early on and travelled strongly into the race approaching the final quarter-mile
Al Suhail put a disappointing run in the 2,000 Guineas firmly behind him with a comprehensive victory in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on Thursday.
The Charlie Appleby-trained colt was held up in a clear fifth of the seven-strong field early on and travelled strongly into the race approaching the final quarter-mile.
He showed an impressive turn of foot soon after, quickening between horses to hit the front with a furlong and a half to race. Al Suhail readily went clear of his rivals and was eased by William Buick in the closing stages to come home six lengths clear of Mystery Power.
His win was the 125th Stakes success for Godolphin to be sired by Dubawi.
Charlie Appleby said: “Al Suhail was working exceptionally well before the 2,000 Guineas and we were hoping that he was going to run a big race there. It was fast ground and a large field that day, and it just didn’t happen for him at all.
“We put a line through it, gave him a short break and his homework has been very strong again. He had his ground today and I was confident that, if he kept it together, we know that he has plenty of ability.
“He looks as though he has plenty of natural pace to be staying over a mile, but you could see him stepping up in trip based on his pedigree and possibly some improvement over further.”
William Buick said: “It was always the plan today to get the first half of the race right. Al
Suhail settled into a nice rhythm and travelled so strongly, I got there at least a furlong earlier than I wanted to. Nothing could take me any longer, so I went while he was going, and it was an impressive performance.
“Al Suhail has backed up his homework – he has always worked very well at home. He showed a lot of promise last year and is a very, very talented horse. It was pleasing to see him come back and do that.
“With his pedigree, ability and the way he did it today, I think we will definitely have to consider stepping him up in class again. We were hoping that he would run well in the Guineas, so we are looking to get back to that level.”
Al Dabaran produced another battling effort in Pattern company when coming home third in the G3 Bahrain Trophy over a mile and five furlongs at Newmarket.
The Dubawi colt, who filled the same position on his three-year-old return in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, was slow leaving the stalls and soon raced in fifth of the six runners under William Buick.
Al Dabaran stayed on up the inside rail to hold every chance passing the two-furlong marker and galloped out resolutely after being outpaced by Al Aasy and Dawn Rising inside the final furlong, going down by three and a half lengths in total.
His trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Al Dabaran has run another decent race. This looks to be his trip and hopefully we can find a nice contest to get his head in front.”
Meanwhile, Shared Sense announced himself as a potential Kentucky Derby contender with a decisive victory in the G3 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand on Wednesday.
Making his Graded-race debut in the ninefurlong contest, the Brad Cox-trained colt was held up in eighth of the nine runners early on by Florent Geroux before moving up to fifth leaving the back straight.
Shared Sense quickened around the field turning for home and stayed on strongly in the straight, taking up the running approaching the final furlong before forging clear for a three-length success in a track record time.
The son of Street Sense received 20 qualifying points for this year’s G1 Kentucky Derby for his victory, although the Godolphin homebred would need to be supplemented for this year’s race, which is due to be run on Saturday, 5 September.
Brad Cox said: “Shared Sense is a nice horse. Jimmy Bell and I have talked about the Kentucky Derby a couple of times, and that trip is something that he would like, but it will be up to the Godolphin team. He is a tough horse who runs his best races on dry dirt.
“There are still a few races left to pick up Derby points. We will see how he comes out of this and then think about a plan for the rest of the year.”
KUALA LUMPUR: Asia’s Champions League (ACL) will resume in September with remaining group games played at centralised venues and a singleleg final in December, officials said Thursday following a six-month coronavirus hiatus.
The continental club championship, featuring 32 teams stretching from Saudi Arabia in the west to Japan in the East, was suspended in March ater just a handful of matches as travel restrictions kicked in across Asia to contain the pandemic.
Chinese clubs Shanghai SIPG, Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande are yet to play any group stage match ater travel restrictions were imposed on teams from China, where the virus was first reported.
But with the pandemic starting to ease in many countries, the AFC Thursday announced new dates for the competition.
The four rounds of West Zone group stage matches for teams largely based in the Middle East will be crammed into 11 days from Sept.14 to 24 at a centralised venue still to be named.
The East Zone has a greater match backlog and aim to complete their group fixtures from Oct.16 to Nov.1 also in a centralised venue yet to be named.
The knockout phase will start immediately ater the group stage is completed with matches reduced to one leg. The final be on December 5.
AFC general secretary Windsor John said it had been a “difficult and uncertain time in the history of our game”.
But he added he was “delighted that we are seeing more encouraging progress on the return of many domestic leagues to the field,” paving the way for the resumption of AFC club tournaments.
Football is gradually resuming around the world ater closing down because of the virus.
Meanwhile, following a series of constructive discussions with its Member Associations (MA), Leagues and Clubs, the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC) has now produced a calendar for concluding the National Team, Club and Futsal Competitions in 2020.
The AFC’S National Team and Club competitions as well as the AFC Futsal Championship planned for Turkmenistan have been postponed since February and March but, thanks to the support of the Members, Leagues and Clubs, there is a determination to finish the competitions this year.
Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “The AFC Administration has been in constant dialogue with our MAS, Leagues and Clubs in recent weeks so that we can establish a clear picture of the opportunities that exist in each MA.
“During those discussions which began in Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Dubai and Delhi in February and March, and have continued online ever since, we have looked to agree a calendar of matches that will allow us to complete both the club competitions and centralised tournaments in 2020.”