St Nicholas Abbey repels Gentildonna in Sheema Classic

St Nicholas Abbey scored another lucrative victory for the father/son team of trainer Aidan and jockey Joseph O’Brien (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club) One year after coming up a neck short in the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, St Nicholas Abbey got the job done in Saturday’s renewal, overturning even-money favorite Gentildonna in course-record fashion. Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 3-1 second choice represented his connections’ second triumph on the night, with stablemate Lines of Battle drawing first blood in the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby. Young rider Joseph O’Brien couldn’t make the weight aboard Lines of Battle, who was guided by Ryan Moore, but he did engineer the winning trip for St Nicholas Abbey. He had the six-year-old son of Montjeu parked just off the flank of the front-running Shareta, while Gentildonna took up a forward tracking position on the outside. St Nicholas Abbey took up the baton cornering for home, but Gentildonna was also traveling smoothly, and appeared on the verge of unwinding. But the Japanese Horse of the Year couldn’t follow through on that initial impression, for St Nicholas Abbey found increasing momentum in the drive. He turned back the favorite, who had every opportunity, and pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear.

By blitzing about 1 1/2 grassy miles in 2:27.70, St Nicholas Abbey shattered
the old Meydan mark of 2:29.01 established by Rewilding in the 2011 Sheema
Classic. All three turf races on the World Cup card produced course records,
with Shea Shea in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint and Sajjhaa in the Group 1 Dubai
Duty Free preceding the Sheema.

“I’d always felt this horse wanted to be ridden back,” Aidan O’Brien said,
“but Joseph and Derrick (Smith) said they wanted him to be ridden forward and
they got their way today, so perhaps they were right.”

“There didn’t seem much pace on paper,” Joseph observed, “and Mr. Smith said
maybe we should ride him a bit further forward and see what happens. This horse
is very tough, very special, gives his best every day, relaxes, and finds
plenty. It turns out you can ride him any way you want.”

Gentildonna’s rider, Yasunari Iwata, cited ground loss as a factor.

“She ran very well and was in good form today,” Iwata said. “She traveled
wide and might take bit, and that’s why she couldn’t catch the winner.”

Qatari shipper Very Nice Name rattled home from near the back of the pack to
grab third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Gentildonna. Dunaden, last of 11 much of the
way, was along for fourth. Next came Await the Dawn, Shareta, Royal Diamond,
Girolamo, Sharestan, Prince Bishop and Trailblazer.

With this fifth career Group 1 tally to his credit, St Nicholas Abbey has now
compiled a record of 20-8-2-7, and boasts $7,561,795 in earnings. He ranked as
an unbeaten champion two-year-old in 2009, through victories in the Group 1
Racing Post Trophy and Group 2 Beresford, but lost his perfect mark when sixth
in the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at three.

Sidelined by injury for the remainder of his classic season, St Nicholas
Abbey came back at four to take the Group 1 Coronation Cup, Group 3 Ormonde and
the Breeders’ Cup Turf. His only win of 2012 came in his successful title
defense in the Coronation Cup, but he also placed in five top-level events —
the Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion, King George VI and
Queen Elizabeth (for the second straight year) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, where
he was last seen checking in third at Santa Anita.

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