Super Saturday at Meydan: Salute The Soldier sprints to glory
WIN PUTS HIM AMONG TOP PROSPECTS FOR WORLD CUP
Salute The Soldier put in the performance of a lifetime and has thrown his name in the mix as one of the top prospects to land the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in three weeks’ time with a stunning gate to post victory over course and distance in the prep the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3, the feature event of the Super Saturday card at Meydan.
The six-year-old Sepoy gelding did nothing wrong under Adrie de Vries, who got him to win the early battle for the lead with Salem bin Ghadayer’s Tailor’s Row and Satish Seemar’s Roman Rosso. By the turn to the back stretch, Salute The Soldier was well in command and comfortably turned for home with De Vries riding him 400m out from where he stretched nicely to win by 1.75 lengths from Bin Ghadayer’s fast closing Hypothetical, who was a further three ahead of Roman Rosso with Antonio Fresu up.
An ecstatic De Vries said: “I expected the pace to come from the outside. He jumped well, but the guys next to me, they didn’t want it, so I was happy to lead. I went at my own pace. I don’t know what to say, he’s just getting better, this horse. It is so much fun. “He deserves it. He’s a great character. As you see, there is always something special about him. He didn’t want to
4th consecutive time Appleby has won the Dubai City of Gold
go to the start today, you have to trick him sometimes.”
Full of enthusiasm
Winning trainer Nass added: “When you have a horse like that, who has already qualified for the World Cup, why take a risk of getting beat. But then, thinking about it, it is quite a long gap from his last win to World Cup night. He’s a horse that is full of enthusiasm, so we thought why not?”
Bin Ghadayer missed out, but was on target in the card opener with Panadol, who made it two in two when winning the Listed Al Bastakiya, the course and distance equivalent of the Group 2 UAE Derby. Ridden by Mickael Barzalona, the 3yo Flatter colt made all to win with 0.75 lt os pa re from Doug Watson’s Pat Dobbs ridden Sp eight’ s per come te.
Godolphin enjoyed a double success on the night with Saeed Bin Surour delivering success in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf over 1,200m with Final Song.
Godolphin opened their account in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold, which was won by trainer Charlie Appleby for the fourth consecutive time. Walton Street delivered in record equalling time of 2:26.83 set by him en route to his Dubai Racing Club Classic (Listed) success in January.