No Gold for Marinaresco – or Majestic Mambo – in Dubai

Ken Nicol

Marinaresco put up a improved performance on Super Saturday at Meydan, but could only manage sixth place out of 10 in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold.

As expected, the 2410m trip suited the 2017 Vodacom Durban July winner much better than the shorter distances of his two Dubai prep races. He stayed on steadily up the centre of the track without ever looking particularly dangerous, after turning for home with only one behind him. Mike de Kock’s charge was far from disgraced, though, and went down by less than 3.50 lengths.

Owners Godolphin pulled off a 1-2 in the race. Charlie Appleby’s strong favourite Old Persian got the better of a game Racing History, who had attempted to make all for Saeed bin Suroor.

Christophe Soumillon gave the eventual runner-up a peach of a ride, but William Buick’s mount always had running in him.

De Kock saddled two runners in the final event on Super Saturday – the dress rehearsal meeting for Dubai World Cup night.

Majestic Mambo and Janoobi lined up in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta. Four-year-old Majestic Mambo raced up handy but, unsurprisingly, ran out of puff in the latter stages in his first appearance since last year’s Durban July.

Janoobi also failed to fire, and was never seen in with a chance.

The race was won by Dream Castle, who completed a hat trick at this year’s Carnival.

The $600,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (Group 1) over 2000m saw the return of 2018 World Cup winner Thunder Snow.

But the champion failed to justify 4-5 favouritism as the race was turned into a procession by Capezzano, who was sent to the front by Mickael Barzalona and was never headed. The 9-2 shot sauntered in 9.50 lengths clear.