Imperial Emperor fuels Dubai World Cup dreams for syndicate

Imperial Emperor went one place better than 12 months ago and earned automatic Dubai World Cup entry when winning the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge – the feature race on Fashion Friday at Meydan Racecourse.

It was a brilliant night for trainer Bhupat Seemar and this was the highlight of his four wins. Ridden by Richie Mullen, the six-year-old tracked the pace set by Masmak and hit the front at the 600metre marker, staying on powerfully and holding off Tumbarumba by one and half lengths. Heart Of Honor closed for a distant third.

“I’m ecstatic! Actually, I don’t know how I’m feeling – what a horse!” said Ryan Tongue, Director of owners Deva Racing. “This syndicate is Dubai, we love Dubai and to have another chance in the Dubai World Cup is a dream.

“I turned down the Saudi Cup invitation, which was a big thing, but we want to try and win the Dubai World Cup.”

Mullen, who only returned from a serious injury at the start of the season, added: “He’s very straightforward and gets himself in a great spot. I wanted to be positive with him and he traveled like a dream and when I saw Bernardo [Pinheiro, on Masmak] dropping away I thought “I have to go,” and he put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

“Tadhg [O’Shea, Seemar’s stable jockey] beat me in the race last year and I’m just keeping the saddle warm. It’s his horse, but if he doesn’t mind handing him to me again I won’t mind!”

Opera Ballo has been exciting ever since he first set foot on a racecourse almost exactly a year ago. The four-year-old now has a Group 1 after a scorching victory in the Jebel Hatta [presented by Longines].

On a brilliant night for jockey William Buick, who rode three winners, the colt pulled hard in the early stages of the 1800metre turf contest but was anchored just behind the leaders Silawi and Nations Pride. He hit the front 200metres from home and charged away for a two and a half length victory over Silawi, with Holloway Boy third.

“We felt that we had a good horse for some time, so well done to the team here for getting him relaxed,” said Appleby, winning this race for a fifth time. “He’s still headstrong and William always says they can’t go fast enough for him. You need to hold onto him for as long as you can.

“He’s an exciting horse going forward, and now we have the Dubai Turf invitation.”

It was a record fifth win in the race, too, for Buick, who said: “He reminds me so much of his father Ghaiyyath. He’s so competitive and has a world of talent to go with it. He just wants to please you the whole time.

“I’m delighted with the way he won, but he still needs to learn to relax and race in a proper manner, then he’ll be a proper horse.”

The G3 UAE 2000 Guineas [presented by Longines] carried Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the first time and Six Speed now has 20 of them after dominating the race for Seemar and jockey Mickael Barzalona.

The Not This Time colt has recently been purchased by US-based owners Brunetti Dugan Stables, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Steve Adkisson and Swinbank Stables. They can now dream about the first Saturday in May after his all the way win, by five lengths, over Devon Island.

“We didn’t know if he would get the distance [1600metres tonight] but the good ones have speed and stamina,” said Seemar. “He breaks well, he sits up there on the speed and he’s every trainer and jockey’s dream.

“The new owners are based in the US and they probably bought him with an eye to Kentucky, so it’s great when someone has that much faith in us.”

Seemar also won the G3 Firebreak Stakes [presented by Longines], with Mendelssohn Bay.

Syndicate Suited And Booted have had plenty to shout about this season and they collected another big win here. Their five-year-old ran up with the pace under Mullen and used his stamina to good effect, seeing off pacesetter and stablemate Commissioner King by two and three-quarter lengths.

“I’ve had quite a journey with this horse as I bought him from the sale in Maryland,” said Seemar. “This is a great syndicate, they’re very enthusiastic, so I’m pleased for them to get another big win.” On his plans for the gelding, he added: “We’ll stick at a mile or maybe go up in distance for Super Saturday.”

Seemar celebrated again when Drew’s Gold won the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint, under  Buick.

It was the second win in a row for the rejuvenated six-year-old, who traveled in midfield, quickening at the 300metre point and keeping on well to deny favourite El Nasseeb.

“He’s a top-class horse and I have to thank Sheikh Rashid [bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, owner] for having the trust to give me this horse.

“He’s got a running style where he needs to dictate what to do, rather than you tell him what to do. I guess we’ve got to go to the next step, Super Saturday [G3 Mahab Al Shimaal] and go from there.”

Buick did the sprint race double, partnering Cover Up to a conclusive victory in the G2 Blue Point Sprint [presented by Longines] 35 minutes later.

The six-year-old was positioned in mid-division in the 1000metre turf dash, coming with his usual late run to beat Echo Point and Ponntos who had been in a battle up front.

“He’s a different animal this year, he’s much more straightforward mentally and the race set up for him,” said co-trainer Ed Crisford. “He needs to be covered up – like his name – among horses when he finds another gear.

“There’s nothing left for him here now so we’ll take him back to the UK and maybe run him at Ascot, as he deserves a crack at a big one.”

Earlier, Irish jockey Andrew Slattery collected his biggest win to date on Elnajmm in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort [presented by Longines].

The Michael Costa-trained six-year-old was returning from a 328-day absence but was resolute at the end of the 1400metre turf contest, beating Chicago Critic – ridden by Slattery’s cousin Ben Coen – by a quarter of a length.

“This is what you get up for every morning,” said the jockey. “It’s an amazing training performance after nearly a year off the track. Smart horse, smart trainer.”

Costa added that the G3 Ras Al Khor, on Super Saturday, 28 March, was the likely next target for the gelding.

As a G1 winner at two, Sunway has long been a star of the David Menuisier stable and the trainer was “so chuffed” when he gained a first win in two years in the closing G3 Al Khail Trophy [presented by Longines.]

Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, the five-year-old went for home well before the straight in the 2810metre turf race, tiring close to the line but having enough in reserve to hold off Epic Poet – going one spot better than a year ago – by half a length.

“He’s a Group 1 winner so it was a hard call to cut [geld] him and after that he went for a break for six weeks and then flew to Dubai. He hasn’t had more than three pieces of work so he was getting tired at the end. There’s a chance he might improve for this.

“He really deserves it. He’s run about 20 times; he won his maiden and then he’s only really run in Group races, which is a hard thing to do. To come back and win tonight is fantastic.”

De Sousa bookended the cardafter Muraad powered to his second G1 in a row, charging away with the Purebred Arabians’ Al Maktoum Challenge R2 for trainer Majed Al Jahouri. The six-year-old, also a winner of Round 1 in December, was two and a half lengths too good for reigning Dubai Kahayla Classic winner First Classs.

“He came to Dubai very late, last minute,” said Claude Piccioni, Racing Manager for owners Yas Racing. “But he’s a class horse so we wanted to try him here and since he won first up, he’s been easy. We might skip Round 3 with him and go straight to the Kahayla Classic.”

The Dubai Racing Carnival continues next Friday, 30 January, when the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes is the feature race.