Dubai: Former six-time British champion jockey Kieren Fallon has warned that there is more to come from Hunter’s Light after the seven-year-old out-foxed a classy field to win Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge Empowered by IPIC on Thursday night.
A veteran of nine bruising contests at Meydan Racecourse, including two Dubai World Cups (G1), the son of Dubawi took the lead at the top of the straight and comfortably held on to win by a length and a quarter from stable companion and favourite African Story.
“This horse just loves it here at Meydan,” said Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour who was notching a 10th success in the race. “He’s in better shape than he was last year and has show how competitive he is.
“Kieren gave him a great ride and the tactics of stealing the lead worked right for the horse as he has a lot of heart and can stay up to a mile and a half.
“We’ll probably bring him back for the third round, together with African Story and Hunter’s Light, who will have needed this race.”
Prince Bishop contested the Dubai Sheema Classic last March and has previously run in successive Dubai World Cups. Bin Suour, however, hinted that he might take his chances in the latter event.
“He can go on both the Tapeta and the Turf, and it’s still too early to make a final plan,” said the handler. “But we’ll see what His Highness Shaikh Mohammad (Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai) and Shaikh Hamdan (Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai) decide on. But he’s a very versatile horse and can go anywhere.”
Fallon, who partnered Prince Bishop to win the September Stakes (G3) at Kempton, England last September, was full of praise for the seven-year-old. “He’s in great form, he felt good he galloped out strong,” said the former champion. “There’s a lot more to come from this horse.”
