TOP SOUTH AFRICAN TRAINER SENDS OUT JANOOBI TO WIN THE GROUP 2 ZABEEL MILE
the rail,” De Kock added. “We were quite hopeful back over 1600m, which is his best trip, but I think the 1800m of the Jebel Hatta would be too far, so we could try him on dirt.
“I think he would handle the surface with his style of running, but we will have to talk to Shaikh Hamdan [Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance], first. Noah From Goa will head for the Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday, and looks as though he will appreciate the extra 200m.”
The night kicked-off with a race that had the potential to blow the roof right off the Meydan grandstand and it very nearly did.
Ertijaal, the UAE’s top-rated horse of 2017, held on gallantly to win the Group 2 $175,000 Meydan Sprint sponsored by District One Greenery Stretch over a 1000m on turf.
Appleby’s Blue Point, winner of the Gimcrack Stakes in the UK last season, was making his first start over 1,000m, a distance that proved a trifle short in the end for the fast finishing son of Shamardal.
“He was on his toes a bit in the stalls and actually missed the break a little bit, but was soon in that amazing rhythm he has,” winning jockey Jim Crowley said.
The Group 3 $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes sponsored by District One Mansions, over 2000m on the turf, produced another grandstand finish with the Godolphin pair, Folkswood and Leshlaa, battling toe-totoe in the last half furlong.
In the end, it was Folkswood, partnered by William, who prevailed over the Pat Cosgraveridden Leshlaa.
Saeed Bin Surour, who prepared the runner-up, was the first to congratulate Appleby in the winner’s circle. Two races back, the son of Exceed and Excel was a game third behind Australia’s wondermare Winx in her history-making Cox Plate (G1) hat-trick triumph.