Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Godolphin has two for sprint
HONG KONG – The field for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai was behind the starting gate on March 31 when the complexion of the race changed. Blue Point, the favorite, had blood coming from one of his nostrils and had to be scratched.
Moments later, Jungle Cat won the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, the owner of Blue Point. Jungle Cat and Blue Point are part of a strong group of turf sprinters for Godolphin, which includes Fine Needle, who won the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen on March 25 in Japan.
Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong, Blue Point and Fine Needle start in the Group 1 Champion’s Sprint Prize at six furlongs on turf. Blue Point tries for his first Group 1 win in the $2.04 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize, and Fine Needle tries to show he can win outside of Japan.
Blue Point was second in the Group 2 Meydan Sprint at five furlongs on turf Feb. 22, his only start this year. Last year in England, Blue Point won 2 of 4 starts, with both wins in Group 3 sprints at six furlongs on turf at Ascot. He was third in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot in June and a well-beaten fourth in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park last September in his first start outside of his age group.
“He deserves to win a Group 1,” said Sophie Chretien, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby who accompanied Blue Point to Hong Kong from Dubai.
William Buick has been Blue Point’s regular rider and has the mount Sunday. Buick was set to ride Blue Point in the Al Quoz Sprint.
Wednesday at Sha Tin, Blue Point had an easy day. He was galloped and jogged for a circuit on the infield dirt track.
“We want to keep him fresh,” Chretien said. “We like to let him recover from the trip.”
Wednesday at Sha Tin, Fine Needle worked 800 meters on turf, or about a half-mile, in 51.90 seconds, with a final quarter-mile 22.70, according to track clockers. Tommy Berry has the mount Sunday and was aboard for the workout.
Fine Needle was 12th in the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes in Japan last October.
“He’d won a Grade 2 and it was at the end of a long campaign,” trainer Yoshitada Takahashi said through a translator. “We thought he’d be better for it.”
A 5-year-old, Fine Needle has won 8 of 24 starts. This will be his third start in a Group 1 or Grade 1.
“It will be a chance to see where he fits in,” Takahashi said. “I know how strong the local runners are. They’re very sharp.”
The field is led by the Hong Kong-based Australian-bred geldings Mr Stunning and Beat the Clock, who were separated by a nose when first and second in the Group 2 Sprint Cup at six furlongs April 8. Mr Stunning, who is expected to go favored, won the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint against an international field here last December.
Lucky Bubbles, a 6-year-old gelding who won the 2017 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, is part of Sunday’s race, but is winless in four starts during the Hong Kong season, which began in September.
Lucky Bubbles may start in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23, trainer Francis Liu said Wednesday.