Godolphin Mile aspirants on show in Firebreak Stakes at DWCC meet
It is the fourth fixture of the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival (DWCC) on Friday, Meydan Racecourse staging a card of eight races, officially highlighted by the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, over the same 1600m on dirt as the Group 2 Godolphin Mile and for which eight have been declared, three by Champion Trainer Bhupat Seemar for whom Secret Ambition won both races in 2021.
From the trio, Tadhg O’shea has opted to partner seasonal debutant Law Of Peace for Secret Ambition’s owner Naser Askar and seeking a third consecutive victory.
Already a dual handicap winner over course and distance, the 6yo gelded son of Shamardal finished the last campaign with a flourish, winning over this track and trip, followed by a 1600m turf success here before going to Abu Dhabi to score over 2200m in the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship.
He is joined in the field by his stable companions Discovery Island, the mount of Antonio Fresu, and Imperial Empire.
A course and distance winner on this card last year, Fresu’s mount was runner-up in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on his seasonal debut 21 days ago but was beaten by Law Of Peace, again over this track and trip, when chasing him home in late February last year.
Imperial Empire has been well beaten on his two outings during the current campaign but is thrice a 1400m winner on the Meydan dirt having shed his maiden tag on the course’s turf track, over 1600m.
Seemar said: “Obviously Law Of Peace is returning to action and is drawn widest of all which is not ideal but he will be held up to challenge late anyway so it is not that big an issue.
“Discovery Island was beaten by Law Of Peace last season but I think he is a beter horse now and his second in the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge was very good.
“Over 1200m in the Group 3 Dubawi Stakes, Imperial Empire was basically outsprinted early on and just could not get involved. He should be happier back up in trip.
Doug Watson also saddles three, all who ran in the aforementioned Al Maktoum Challenge R1. Pat Dobbs, who was suspended on that occasion, choosing Everfast, third in that race, two and a half lengths behind Discovery Island but almost three lengths ahead of stablemate Prince Eiji, partnered by Sam Hitchcot as is the case here. Well beaten that day, in ninth, was the third Watson representative, Thegreatcollection, the mount of Adrie de Vries on Friday.
Heavy Metal completed the Firebreak Stakes/ Godolphin Mile double in 2018 for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum who has two