Promising Run marks successful return to Meydan with ease
Promising Run made a triumphant return to Meydan, winning the featured Group 2 Cape Verdi at the Dubai World Cup Carnival’s third meeting at Meydan yesterday.
The winner of the Group 2 Al Rashidiya last year, Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s runner powered home by four-anda-half lengths from Irish raider Rehana.
Pat Cosgrave had Promising Run tucked behind the Pat Smullen-ridden Rehana before pouncing on her in the final 200 metres to win.
“It’s funny, she doesn’t show a lot at home but did it quite nicely on the track tonight,” Cosgrave said of the five-year-old Hard Spun mare.
“She’s won first time out last year and can go on from here, perhaps, win a Group 1 prize. The Charlie Appleby-trained Gold Town underlined his status as a Godolphin prospect for the UAE 2000 Guineas with an impressive win in the first leg of the Trial by more than four lengths from the John Ryan-trained English raider Roland Rocks.
The winner of his first and last races in six starts in England, Gold Town moved from strength to strength on the home stretch to go clear before rider William Buick eased him closer to home.
“Coming into the race we were confident of his well-being,” Appleby said.
“He worked great in the mornings. Track-wise, again he knew it well, and that was a bit of confidence as well.
“The race too panned out as he wanted it to. He got into the lead and at the half way he got into a nice rhythm there and then he sorts of went on the bridle again. “Visually, he was impressive. “But for myself, I wouldn’t have seen anything more impressive than him over there. The further he goes we’ll see more improvement on him again.”
Godolphin missed landing the second leg of the Trial when Racing Country was narrowly beaten by El Chapo.
Drawn widest of the 10 runners, Christophe Soumillon breezed out of the starting gate to settle the Dubawi colt in front.
Luke Morris on El Chapo joined the Godolphin runner at the 200m marker and the pair just held on to the narrow advantage even as Racing Country tried to battle back.
El Chapo’s victory completed a double for the Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass after Los Barbados under Adrie de Vries got the better of another Godolphin runner Natural Scenery in the second race.
Godolphin trainer Suroor set the ball rolling by taking the opening prize when French rider Gerald Mosse steered Don’t Give Up to victory over Satish Seemar’s Saltarin Dubai and stable companion Alabaster.