Skysurfers gives Godolphin another Mile

Skysurfers wasn’t inconvenienced by post 13 (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club)

Godolphin’s SKYSURFERS (E Dubai) wore down Mufarrh (Marju) in deep stretch to
capture Saturday’s $1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) at Meydan, handing Sheikh
Mohammed’s elite operation its sixth victory in the stable’s eponymous race.

Third in last year’s Godolphin Mile, Skysurfers signaled his readiness with a
track record-setting score in the February 10 Firebreak S. at this distance. Yet
the Saeed bin Suroor pupil was dealt a blow when drawing post 13 of 14 in the
Godolphin Mile, a tough spot that even jockey Frankie Dettori admitted was
problematic for his chances.

As it turned out, Dettori was able to mastermind a
brilliant trip from midpack, neutralizing the poor draw.

“The draw made a couple of lengths difference, but he’s got tactical speed,
so I got to where I wanted to be and then he got into a nice rhythm,” Dettori
explained. “I knew I had the best horse. I was three wide but I had cover. I was
not too far behind. The second made me work, but we got there in the end.”

Frankie Dettori goes airborne (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club)

Mufarrh, angling around Conveyance, was the first to strike in the stretch.
Skysurfers was traveling ominously well for Dettori, though, and cruised up to
challenge. Although Skysurfers looked poised to drive clear, Mufarrh proved a
stubborn foe to subdue, and pushed him all the way to the line.

Rising to the occasion, Skysurfers asserted in the final strides and stopped
the teletimer in 1:37 3/5 on the Tapeta, well off the 1:35 3/5 mark he
established in the Firebreak. The top two turned in dominating performances, for
they had a daylight margin over Red Jazz (Johannesburg) in third.

“I had the best trip I could have had
behind the leader,” jockey Richard Hills said of his trip aboard Mufarrh. “He hit the front but when Frankie came to me, I thought
‘uh-oh,’ but he still ran a great race.”

“(Red Jazz) wasn’t going quite as well as I
would have hoped,” rider Michael Hills noted. “On the turn, he was out-muscled by Frankie’s horse. He still
ran on pretty well for third. It wasn’t a bad effort for his first turn of the
year.”

Premio Loco (Prized) was another half-length back in fourth, followed
by Zafeen Speed (Zafeen), Le Drakkar (Anabaa), Make Music for Me
(Bernstein), Conveyance, Hearts of Fire (Firebreak), I Want Revenge, As
de Trebol, Rileyskeepingfaith (Hunting Lion), Imbongi (Russian Revival)
and Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest).

Skysurfers has compiled a mark of 10-4-2-2, $912,285, with all four wins
coming on synthetic surfaces. Last season, the bay placed in a trio of turf
stakes — the Fortune S. at Sandown, the City of York S. and the On the House S.
at Goodwood — but threw in the worst effort of his life in the October 2
Guisborough S. on the turf at Redcar, where he was eased. Typically at his best
fresh, he reappeared in the Firebreak, and was rested again in advance of
Saturday’s target.