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African Story, Hunter's Light, Sky Hunter make Saturday super for Godolphin

African Story will now try to become the first two-time World Cup winner (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club) Godolphin swept the last three events on "Super Saturday" at Meydan: reigning Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) hero African Story (Pivotal) dethroned stablemate Prince Bishop (Dubawi) in the $400,000 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1), Hunter's Light (Dubawi) turned in a career-best to demolish the $300,000 Jebel Hatta (UAE-G1), and Sky Hunter (Motivator) made a winning return in the $250,000 Dubai City of Gold (UAE-G2). All three are Darley homebreds trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by James Doyle. African Story, who won the last World Cup on the old Tapeta, was rebounding from a disappointing seventh in his dirt debut in the February 5 Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (UAE-G2). Hustled from his rail draw here, the eight-year-old gelding tried to get into the clear, but Henry Clay (Dubawi) had more speed and crossed over to lead. Frankyfourfingers (Sunday Break) then moved up to pocket African Story. When Henry Clay tried to slip away turning into the stretch, African Story peeled out and launched the winning move. Prince Bishop, the defending Round 3 champion, rallied from the tail of the field, but came up a neck short. African Story kept finding more to reach the wire in 2:04 4/5 for about 1 1/4 miles. There was a gap of 3 1/2 lengths back to Henry Clay, followed by Frankyfourfingers in the strung-out field of nine.

"He has a lot of class and a great attitude," Doyle said of African Story. "Those attributes have really come to the fore here as he had to dig deep. "There is more improvement to come from him I think and he is starting to get the hang of racing on dirt and was happier in the kickback this time than he was on his first start on the surface."

African Story now brandishes a bankroll of $7,634,880 from his 20-8-4-3 line. Placed in the 2011 Prix de la Porte Maillot (Fr-G3) and Prix Quincey (Fr-G3) during his French career with Andre Fabre, the chestnut burst onto the international radar with victories in the 2012 Burj Nahaar (UAE-G3) and Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2). After repeating in the 2013 Burj Nahaar, African Story tried the World Cup, only to wind up fifth behind Animal Kingdom. He went on to finish second in the 2014 Maktoum Challenge Round 2, and eighth in this race, and made amends in style in the World Cup.

African Story, who gave bin Suroor his third straight win in Round 3 and 11th overall, will now try to become the first to defend his title in the World Cup.

Bred by Darley in Great Britain, African Story is out of the stakes-placed Blixen (Gone West). His second dam is Grade 1 star Danish (Danehill), a full sister to Group 3 winners Ace and Hawkeye, both multiple Group 1-placed.

Jockey James Doyle tries to find the competition aboard Hunter's Light (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club) Hunter's Light, the Round 3 winner in 2013 for bin Suroor, switched to the Jebel Hatta this time and bolted up by a resounding 6 1/2 lengths. Defending champion and prohibitive favorite Vercingetorix (Silvano) never showed his usual sparkle in sixth, and was subsequently reported as lame. Anaerobio (Catcher in the Rye) sped to the lead in his career finale, with Hunter's Light tracking on the bridle. Easily taking command in the stretch, Hunter's Light turned the Jebel Hatta into a rout, completing about 1 1/8 miles on the good turf in 1:47 4/5 and stating his case for the Dubai Turf (formerly Duty Free) (UAE-G1) on World Cup night. "We wanted to win another Group 1 with him so I am obviously delighted," bin Suroor summed up. "Saeed and the whole team have done a great job with this horse," Doyle said. "He has really bounced back to his best and this was a fantastic effort in what had appeared a very competitive race."

Woodbine Mile (G1) winner Trade Storm (Trade Fair) got up in a blanket finish for runner-up honors, nipping Johann Strauss (High Chaparral), who fared best of de Kock's sextet in third. His stablemates Flying the Flag (Galileo), Sanshaawes (Ashaawes) and Vercingetorix came next under the line, while Anaerobio tired to ninth and Darwin (Big Brown) was last of the 12.

With this third career Group 1 tally, Hunter's Light improved his scorecard to 27-12-2-3, $1,450,099. He boasts 10 stakes scores, including Rounds 2 and 3 of the Maktoum Challenge in 2013; the 2012 Premio Roma (Ity-G1), Rose of Lancaster (Eng-G3) and Anatolia Trophy; and the 2011 Churchill, Foundation and Glasgow S. Perfect from three starts this Carnival, he was coming off a course record-setting score in the February 19 Dubai Millennium S. at about 10 furlongs.

Hunter's Light was bred by Darley in Ireland. The seven-year-old entire was produced by the winning Barathea mare Portmanteau, herself a half-sister to Group 2 victor Courteous (Generous). His second dam, Dayanata (Shirley Heights), is an unraced full sister to French champion, classic winner, and influential sire Darshaan.

Sky Hunter has crossed the wire first in all three starts as a gelding (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club) Earlier, Sky Hunter kicked off the triple with an emphatic 1 3/4-length decision in the City of Gold, his Dubai debut. A half-brother to 2003 City of Gold winner Highest (Selkirk), the five-year-old negotiated about 1 1/2 miles in 2:32 4/5 to enhance his profile ahead of the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) on World Cup night. Sheikhzayedroad (Dubawi), victorious in last year's Northern Dancer Turf (Can-G1), was best of the rest, and Umgiyo (Danehill Dancer) edged Godolphin's other runner, True Story (Manduro), for third. "I was pretty confident coming into the race," Doyle said regarding Sky Hunter, "as he has been working so well and he impressed me at Newbury on his last start (a nine-length win in the October 25 St Simon [Eng-G3])." "He is a very nice horse and we though he would run well," noted bin Suroor, who was winning the City of Gold for the ninth time. "He was improving last year in England and there is hopefully more to come."

Sky Hunter flashed early talent when trained by Fabre, winning his first three outings before a third in the 2013 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) (Fr-G1). He came back to land the Prix Frederic de Lagrange that summer, but wasn't seen again until 2014. After two unplaced efforts for bin Suroor, he was gelded, and since then, no horse has beaten him in three starts. He was subsequently stripped of his win in the September 20 Doonside Cup at Ayr, however, for a positive test, so he's officially two-for-three as a gelding. His resume reads 10-7-0-1, $581,743.

The British-bred Sky Hunter is a half-brother to the aforementioned Highest, who also placed second in the 2002 St Leger (Eng-G1); multiple Group 2 scorer Nayyir (Indian Ridge); and stakes victress Shamaiel (Lycius), dam of Group 3-placed stakes winner Shamali (Selkirk). This is the further family of multiple Grade 1 star and $1.9 million-earner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) as well as Saturday's Burj Nahhar (UAE-G3) hero Tamarkuz (Speightstown).

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