Eastern Anthem eclipses two Moons in Sheema

The royally bred Eastern Anthem scored his first stakes victory in thrilling style (Dubai Racing Club) One race after Gladiatorus (Silic [Fr]) posted a front-running tour de force in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1), the emerging trainer/jockey tandem of Mubarak bin Shafya and Ahmed Ajtebi used diametrically opposite tactics to upset Saturday’s $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) with EASTERN ANTHEM (Singspiel [Ire]). A former Godolphin runner now owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, the five-year-old bay rallied from the tail of the field to deny Spanish Moon (El Prado [Ire]) and Purple Moon (Galileo [Ire]) in a spine-tingling three-way photo. In the opening stages, the filly Front House (Sadler’s Wells) led the way through pedestrian fractions of :26 3/5, :53 and 1:19 1/5, with Spanish Moon and Purple Moon perfectly positioned just behind her. Godolphin’s Kirklees (Jade Robbery) was also prominent, while Red Rocks (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]) was likewise within striking distance on the outside. Spanish Moon was the first to throw down the gauntlet entering the stretch, and given the success of the pace factors in the Sheema in recent years, he appeared to have made the winning move at the right time. As Spanish Moon unleashed his potent burst of acceleration, Purple Moon was caught flat-footed and took some time to wind up. Once he got organized, Purple Moon gradually gained ground and posed a threat to Spanish Moon.

Closing with a furious rush down the center of the course, however, was
Eastern Anthem, who defied the early crawl, and the Sheema trends against late runners, to draw
alongside the two pace factors. Spanish Moon kept battling on the rail, Eastern
Anthem had all the momentum on the outside, and Purple Moon was finding his best
stride between them. None gave an inch in the pulsating drive, and the trio
flashed past the wire in unison.

The camera revealed that Eastern Anthem had thrust his nose in front of
Spanish Moon, with Purple Moon suffering another agonizing near-miss when a
short head back in third. The winner reeled off about 1 1/2 miles in 2:31 4/5 on
the good turf.

“I was a camel rider between (the ages of) six and 14, and I think that helped
because, as like Thoroughbred racing, it is all about speed,” Ajtebi said. “I had to get him switched off at the back and
when I pulled out he really went for me. I thought at the furlong pole that I
might get there but with Ryan Moore (on Spanish Moon) and Jamie Spencer (on
Purple Moon) upsides me, you never
know.

“It was a great finish and this has topped up my Duty Free celebrations. This
is just fantastic. I can’t believe it.”

“I hate seconds,” Moore said, filling the
runner-up spot yet again after earlier piloting Presvis (Sakhee) to place
in the Duty Free. “This is hard to take. He battled his heart out all the
way to the line, but we just got mugged on the post.”

“They went no pace,” Spencer lamented on behalf of Purple Moon. “This is a
two-mile horse that finished second in the Melbourne Cup ([Aus-G1] in 2007), so
the race was just not run to suit us. However, everyone is delighted he pulled
out a terrific effort.”

Youmzain (Sinndar) endured further frustration in his third Sheema quest,
winding up 2 1/4 lengths astern of the principals in fourth.

“The pace was too slow,” Richard Hills said of his trip aboard Youmzain, “and
I went for a run in the straight, got stopped, and though he finished well, it
was too late. Three times he’s been here, and they’ve crawled each time. The
horse is in great shape and he will win a big one back home (in Europe) soon.”

A proud Sheikh Mohammed joins his son Sheikh Hamdan and winning rider Ahmed Ajtebi (Dubai Racing Club) Marsh Side (Gone West) finished a clear fifth, followed by Quijano (Ger) (Acatenango), Deem (Dalakhani), Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]), Front House, Kirklees, Russian Sage (Jallad), Red Rocks, King of Rome (Montjeu [Ire]), Macarthur (Montjeu [Ire]) and Kings Gambit (Silvano [Ger]). Eastern Anthem was an erstwhile Derby (Eng-G1) candidate for Godolphin, but the bay failed to deliver when placing in the Newmarket S. and Cocked Hat S. in 2007. Sidelined for more than one year, he again compiled a disappointing 2008 campaign. Although he romped in a conditions race at Newmarket, Eastern Anthem could not get the job done in stakes, finishing second in the Tapster S., third in the Silver Cup and sixth in the Geoffrey Freer (Eng-G3). Since his transfer to bin Shafya, he has racked up a three-race winning streak. The five-year-old garnered a pair of allowances in his first two outings of the season at Nad al Sheba, but at last fulfilled his early promise in the Sheema. By breaking through with his first stakes victory, Eastern Anthem now sports a line of 10-5-2-2, $3,228,430.

Bred by Darley in Ireland, Eastern Anthem is the only reported foal from
European champion Kazzia (Ger) (Zinaad), who won the Oaks (Eng-G1), One Thousand
Guineas (Eng-G1) and Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) for Godolphin. The German
family is laced with major performers, including Kazzia’s third dam, Aral Pokal
(Ger-G1) heroine Kandia (Luciano) and her son Kamiros II (*Star Appeal), victor
of the Europa Preis (Ger-G1). Also appearing at a further remove in the family
is German Horse of the Year and noted sire Konigsstuhl (Dschingis Khan).