Ihtimal romps by record margin in UAE Oaks; Mshawish lands
Zabeel
Ihtimal became the fourth Guineas heroine to follow up in the Oaks, emulating
There was drama at the gate, as Magroora, one of a trio for Mike de Kock,
Ihtimal, who was tugging at Silvestre de Sousa early, was persuaded to bide
Upon straightening into the stretch, Ihtimal lengthened stride, and the race
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Khawlah, yet another of bin Suroor’s Oaks winners, went on to become the only
filly to annex the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby. It is yet to be determined whether
Ihtimal will bid to follow in her hoofsteps March 29.
“She has always been a real favorite and we must think about the U.A.E. Derby
now,” bin Suroor said.
When speaking to
Godolphin.com, bin Suroor noted that Ihtimal could await classic glory in
England.
“She could head for the U.A.E. Derby on World Cup night or go to Newmarket
for the One Thousand Guineas (May 4),” the trainer said.
“That was very impressive,” de Sousa said. “The pace was not very fast early
on and she was a little bit keen but soon settled into a lovely rhythm. I did
not want to get stuck in any traffic so was happy to be quite wide and she just
took me to the front really traveling before quickening well.
“She’s a lovely filly,” the rider told the stable’s website. “She’s not very
big when you look at her, but I can’t describe how big an engine she has. It’s a
pleasure to ride a filly like that.”
Feedyah, from the yard of fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, was best
of the rest. De Kock’s Mensoora checked in a further 1 1/2 lengths adrift in
third, and stablemate Magrooma was the same distance back in fourth. More Aspen,
Sign of Lucky, Letterfromamerica and Illuminating Dream completed the order of
finish.
Ihtimal’s scorecard reads 8-4-2-2. The bay progressed over her juvenile
campaign, and ended 2013 as one of the top performers in her division in
England. Runner-up to Kiyoshi in her premiere at Goodwood last May, she missed
by a neck in early June at Newmarket. Ihtimal tried males in the Chesham at
Royal Ascot, finishing a creditable third to Berkshire and Bunker. She broke her
maiden with a 2 3/4-length score in the Sweet Solera back at Newmarket, and was
equally convincing in the May Hill at Doncaster. Ihtimal concluded the season
with a third to the ill-fated Chriselliam and to Rizeena in the Fillies’ Mile at
Newmarket.
Bred by Darley in Ireland, Ihtimal is the first registered foal from the
winning Dubai Destination mare Eastern Joy, who is a half-sister to 2007 Prix de
Diane (French Oaks) queen West Wind. Ihtimal’s second dam, Group 2 victress Red
Slippers, is in turn a full sister to Group 2 scorer Romanov and a half-sister
to dual classic heroine Balanchine. Also in the family are multiple Group 1 star
Saoirse Abu, Group 1 winner Art Connoisseur and Japanese Grade 2 victor Shonan
Mighty.
Bin Suroor and de Sousa later combined to take the nightcap with Godolphin’s
Tha’ir. The New Approach colt made his third Meydan appearance a winning one,
having finished fourth to Sheikhzayedroad in a January 16 turf handicap and
fifth to Sanshaawes in his synthetic debut on February 13.
Upped in trip for this about 1 3/8-mile Tapeta handicap, Tha’ir rolled from
off the pace and took command down the lane. Farrier and Alexandra Palace made
late headway, but Tha’ir was gone beyond recall. The one-length winner stopped
the teletimer in 2:27 3/5, advancing his line to 17-4-4-1.
Tha’ir scored his signature win as a juvenile in the 2012 Chesham at Royal
Ascot. Placed in that season’s Solario and Champagne Stakes, he missed by a head
in the May 18 Fairway in his sophomore bow at Newmarket and later captured a
handicap over the July Course. In his 2013 finale, Tha’ir was 11th of 31, beaten
a total of 6 1/2 lengths, in the Cambridgeshire.
The first U.A.E. winner for Mikel Delzangles, Mshawish brought smart form
Mshawish was a solid second in his reappearance in the January 23 Al Fahidi
Well placed in second early, Mshawish stalked Mustaheel through tepid
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Mshawish, now sporting a 9-3-2-0 mark, established a new stakes record of
1:37.16 for the metric mile on good turf.
“His European form was there for everyone to see,” Hughes noted, “and that
was a very good performance. The pace was slow so I was keen to make sure I was
never far away and then we really quickened nicely. I was certainly impressed by
him.”
Trade Storm, owned by the Qatar Racing Ltd. of Sheikh Joaan’s cousins,
rounded out the exacta for the Qatari royals. He was 3 1/4 lengths clear of Mushreq, who was in turn followed by Edu Querido, Gabrial, Mustaheel and Gale
Force Ten.
Bred by OTIF 2007 in Kentucky, Mshawish was a $25,000 Keeneland November
weanling who fetched only $10,000 as a September yearling at the same venue. The
dark bay proved much more popular as an Arqana May two-year-old, commanding
$219,708.
Mshawish is the only foal from Thunder Bayou to race so far. The Thunder
Gulch mare is a half-sister to two stakes winners — Japanese-based
Meteorologist and Bayou Breeze, the dam of current Riley Allison Futurity scorer
Rebranded, who just finished second in last Saturday’s Mine That Bird Derby.
This is the family of champion Halfbridled and millionaire Lu Ravi, the dam of
multiple stakes victress and Grade 3-placed Ravi’s Song.
“I was always pretty happy sitting in second and out of any possible trouble
“He has appreciated the return to the turf, though he ran very well first
Jallota, ninth to Long John in the Guineas, was another to turn the page here
In contrast, Guineas third Wednaan went the opposite way on Thursday. Widely
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“This was very disappointing to see, but there was a valid excuse as Wednaan
was found to have a fibrillation,” de Kock told his
website. “Wednaan will be out of racing for a while and will have the
necessary veterinary treatment.”
The speedy My Catch, who improved his resume to 8-3-1-1, was originally
purchased by Shadwell Estate Company for $144,166 as a Tattersalls October
yearling. The bay later went to Qatari interests for $175,176 as a two-year-old
at Arqana May. Trained last year by David Brown, the Camacho colt was beaten all
of a length when fifth in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot as a maiden. He
found France a happier hunting ground. After breaking his maiden by 2 1/2
lengths at Maisons-Laffitte, My Catch scraped home by a head in the Prix de
Cabourg at Deauville. He trailed home in the Gimcrack at York and made a return
trip to Arqana, selling for $162,600 at the Arc Sale and resurfacing with Watson
in Dubai.
Plans call for My Catch to stick to sprinting.
“We will think about the Mahab Al Shimaal next Saturday,” Watson said of the
Group 3 test on Tapeta, “but there is a race in Singapore (the Group 1 KrisFlyer
International Sprint on the Kranji turf May 18) that I would really like to aim
him at as he is a decent turf sprinter.”
Bred in Ireland by D. Noonan and Loughphilip Bloodstock, My Catch is a
half-brother to Group 1-placed stakes winner Vladimir, a champion in Spain, as
well as to the stakes-placed Pearl Sea. They were all produced by the Barathea
mare Catch the Sea, herself a daughter of two-time Irish highweight older sprint
mare Catch the Blues.
Martin Lane took over the winning ride from Harry Bentley, who like Dettori,
“I was delighted to be offered the ride, and you have to be impressed with
The third- and fourth-place finishers, Conveyance and Zee Bros, are both
Conveyance, out of action for nearly three years, was a commendable third in
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Zee Bros, 10th in the December 26 Malibu in his last start for Baffert, was a
useful fourth in this debut for Seth Benzel. Right in the thick of the action in
the stretch, the Zayat Stables runner tired late and is entitled to improve off
the tightener.
Medicean Man has compiled a record of 50-11-4-7. The Medicean gelding was
recording the third local win of his career, with his previous two coming in
turf sprints. He hasn’t had much luck in Meydan stakes events, checking in sixth
in last year’s Meydan Sprint and ninth in the Al Quoz Sprint. On his return to
England, he captured the June 7 Achilles at Haydock and eventually wrapped up
the year with a close third in the October 5 Rous at Ascot.
Gask indicated that he will try the Group 1 Al Quoz again on March 29.
“We will miss Super Saturday next week and wait for the Al Quoz Sprint on
Dubai World Cup night, a race in which he was ninth last year,” the trainer
said.
Thursday’s action opened with an about seven-furlong handicap on Tapeta, won
by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Gold City. With apprentice rider
Marc Monaghan subbing for the suspended Richard Mullen, the Seemar charge made
the most of his weight allowance and pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear of My Freedom.
Gold City clocked 1:25 2/5 to give Monaghan his first winner on a Carnival card.
“He ran very well last time (second to the de Kock-trained Zahee on January
30), and I was always going particularly well this evening,” Monaghan recapped.
“He quickened nicely at the 400-meter pole and then ran on strongly and it was
pretty comfortable.
“It is great to ride a Carnival winner and the horses are in really good
form.”
Gold City, a five-year-old Pivotal gelding, brandishes a 15-3-3-1 line. His
most notable result was a second in the 2011 Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy.
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