INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
JANUARY 27, 2015
Dubai: A Cautious Approach to Safety Check
Godolphin’s Safety Check (Dubawi) slammed the door on his rivals in
last Thursday’s feature at the Dubai Carnival, the 1,400-meter Al Fahidi
Fort (UAE-G2), in a career-best performance. Displaying a sparkling turn of foot
to sprint four lengths clear, the Charlie Appleby trainee lowered the turf
course record to 1:23.09.
Safety Check is in the form of his life at the moment. In his four-year-old
debut on January 8, he zipped to a similarly commanding victory over the same
course and distance in 1:23.13. That came in a handicap, where he appeared to
benefit from a break in the weights. He carried 122 pounds, thanks in part to
the four-pound allowance claimed by apprentice rider Cam Hardie. Indeed, Safety
Check was essentially a handicapper in England. Until Thursday, he had a
smattering of unsuccessful attempts in listed and Group company on his resume.
Although Safety Check is clearly on the upgrade, the Al Fahidi Fort might
also have been the ideal opportunity for a breakthrough. In addition to
competing at his pet distance, he had the advantage of race fitness over his
principal rivals from the Mike de Kock yard, Anaerobio (Catcher in the Rye) and
Red Ray (Western Winter). As it turned out, they were also compromised, in
different ways, by their trips.
Safety Check thus has the profile of a horse who can make hay at the
Carnival, but could be tough to place on World Cup night. Appleby has sensibly
mentioned the February 26 Zabeel Mile (UAE-G2) as his next target. With his
subsequent turf options likely too long or too short, it will be intriguing to
see whether he takes a stab on dirt for the Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) on the big
night. At least the distance would be right.
Draw a line through it: Anaerobio, the defending champion in the Al
Fahidi Fort, never had a fair shot at the repeat. Unraced since his fifth in
last March’s Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1), the de Kock veteran was buried in traffic
in the stretch, then had to check when eventual runner-up Eastern Rules (Golden
Snake) drifted into his path. Jockey Christophe Soumillon ended up having to
steer Anaerobio clear around everyone to the outside, and the former Argentinean
champ took off. Unfortunately, it was much too late, and he had to settle for
fourth. Stablemate Zahee (Dylan Thomas) didn’t have a smooth passage either in
third, but Anaerobio looked the unluckier of the pair.
Soumillon had a rather colorful exchange with Eastern Rules’ rider, Shane
Foley. According to the stewards’ report, Soumillon vented at Foley “in an
abusive and aggressive manner on pulling up,” and the Belgian was slapped with
an AED 2,000 fine for misconduct.
Red Ray has a lot more upside than the eight-year-old Anaerobio, and de Kock
was “hoping for a big run” from his new South African recruit. The lack of a
race since his second in the May 24 Golden Horse Sprint (SAf-G1) at Scottsville,
however, showed — not only physically but mentally. Red Ray was too aggressive
early with regular rider Anton Marcus, who tried to cajole him, but the talented
colt was too into the bit for his own good. After chasing in second, and never
looking relaxed, he weakened to seventh. That marked only his second unplaced
effort in 11 career starts.
Formerly based with Joey Ramsden, Red Ray scored his signature win in the
2013 Cape Classic (SAf-G3) at Kenilworth, at the expense of eventual South
African Horse of the Year Legislate (Dynasty). He has placed in a quartet of
Group 1 events, and his lone poor effort at home was a ninth in last January’s
Queen’s Plate (SAf-G1), where he was reportedly “fatigued” afterward. Red Ray
hails from a prolific South African family, and with this international debut
behind him, he’s sure to do himself justice in future engagements.
Two to follow: Umgiyo (Danehill Dancer) and Tamarkuz (Speightstown)
stole the spotlight on the undercard. Each has had his issues in the past, but
on this evidence, they’ve put it all behind them and are ready for prime time.
Umgiyo, long well regarded by de Kock, was something of an underachiever in
South Africa. Partly that was the result of a physical problem (a twisted
testicle that was ultimately resolved by a gelding operation), but de Kock
believes that the well-bred bay needed time to mature as well.
Returning from a nearly 10-month layoff, Umgiyo made his Dubai debut in an
about nine-furlong turf handicap. Soumillon followed de Kock’s instructions to
anchor Umgiyo at the rear of the field early, and he was still dead last in
midstretch. Once wheeled around into the clear, he inhaled them to win going
away. It was a useful enough bunch too — e.g., runner-up Ocean Tempest (Act
One) captured two listed races in England last year, along with the Lincoln, and
placed in a Group 3. Granted, Umgiyo was receiving a seven-pound weight
concession from Ocean Tempest. Yet in light of his protracted trek from South
Africa, he was bound to need the race, making his blistering rally all the more
commendable.
Umgiyo is likely on the path to the Dubai Turf (formerly known as the Duty
Free) over this same trip. With only nine starts under his belt, the
Australian-bred has ample scope for development. His pedigree sports the
Danehill/Sadler’s Wells cross, and his dam is a full sister to Group 1 victor
Alberto Giacometti (Sadler’s Wells). The harmonious matches continue through his
maternal side, for his second dam is by Shirley Heights, his third dam is by
Habitat and his fourth dam is stamina-laden English champion Attica Meli (Primera).
Sheikh Hamdan’s Tamarkuz has been bedeviled by gate problems, which weren’t
helped by his sustaining head trauma when batting his skull at the start here
last March. Not seen again until January 8, the Musabah al Muhairi trainee was
slow to break, but rallied well and almost prevailed under the top weight of 132
pounds, only to be outfinished by the late-blooming Faulkner (Pivotal).
In Thursday’s dirt handicap over a metric mile, Tamarkuz broke “1,242 percent
better,” to use racecaller Terry Spargo’s phrase. Showing good early speed to be
part of the pace scrum on rail, he opened up cornering into the stretch and
widened his margin to 4 1/2 lengths. Tamarkuz stacks up as potentially more than
a match for Surfer (Distorted Humor). He hacked up in 1:37.47, eclipsing
Surfer’s mark of 1:38.21 set in the January 8 Maktoum Challenge Round 1
(UAE-G2). The formline likewise dovetails neatly: Round 1 third-placer Haatheq
(Seeking the Gold) was best of the rest behind Tamarkuz.
A five-year-old who was making only his 10th start, Tamarkuz is now beginning
to fulfill his early promise. He had set a juvenile course record at Kempton in
2012, during his days with Godolphin. The $325,000 Keeneland September yearling
has plenty of pedigree, with his dam being a half-sister to multiple Grade 1
hero Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) and classic-placed Andromeda’s Hero (Fusaichi
Pegasus).
A sneaky result: Godolphin’s Excellent Result (Shamardal) was a
notable improver last Carnival, and he could follow a similar trajectory after a
fifth in his return in the about 12-furlong turf handicap. Hung out wide from
post 11 when forcing the pace into the first turn, the Saeed bin Suroor runner
was going well to strike the front in the stretch. But his 132-pound impost
told, and he was outkicked to the line. Still, Excellent Result was beaten less
than a length in a blanket finish. That was actually a better result than his
fourth to start the 2014 Carnival, when he progressed to take an about 1
3/4-mile handicap and the Dubai City of Gold (UAE-G2). Look for him to move
forward, especially if he steps up in trip again.
Ron the Greek update: Ron the Greek’s (Full Mandate) Saudi form was
upheld at Meydan Thursday, courtesy of Toolain (Diktat), who upset a handicap in
a track-record 2:05.86 for about 1 1/4 miles on the dirt. Third to Ron the Greek
in the Students’ Cup last November, Toolain was overlooked at a big price here
off a disappointment at Jebel Ali. Ron the Greek, currently on a
three-race winning streak, looms as a major Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1)
contender. A victory would be especially poignant for the Saudi royals: he was
co-owned by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who just passed away Friday, and his
sons. With the King’s passing, the race staged in his honor — the Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques Cup — has been postponed to the “weekend of February 14,” as reported by
Pat Cummings (@Dubairacenight). That is expected to serve as Ron the Greek’s springboard
to the World Cup.
On tap: Thursday’s renewal of the Al Rashidiya (UAE-G2) promises to be
a vintage one. Last year’s Duty Free runner-up Vercingetorix (Silvano)
spearheads de Kock’s possibles, a few of which are cross-entered to a turf
handicap on the undercard. Bin Suroor has two engaged for Godolphin, Hunter’s
Light (Dubawi) (who also has the handicap option) and True Story (Manduro), who
aims to follow up on his Singspiel romp. A small but intriguing field of turf
distaffers is in line for the Cape Verdi (UAE-G2), and the turf sprint handicap
ought to have Al Quoz Sprint (UAE-G1) implications. As ever, check Tuesday’s
declarations for the final fields.