Dubai: Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby always believed there was something special about Safety Check, an impressive winner of the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort race on Gulf News night at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday.
What he did not know was that the horse, who has been campaigned predominantly in handicaps over the past two seasons, had the potential to challenge for bigger prizes.
But the effort Safety Check delivered under a confident ride by stable jockey Willian Buick, when effortlessly pegging back quality opposition like Eastern Rules, Zahee and Anaerobio, has spurred Appleby to aim him at the Group 2 $250,000 (Dh918,000) Zabeel Mile — a race that often acts as a prep for the Group 1 $6million Dubai Turf (formerly known as the Dubai Duty Free) on Dubai World Cup night.
It was the same route used last season by the Michael Delzangles-trained Mshawish, who won the Al Fahidi Fort en route to clinching fourth place behind Just A Way in the Dubai Turf.
“We knew the horse was in rude health and were very hopeful of a big run, but we could not have expected him to win such a good race so well,” said Appleby.
“He has improved and thrived since he has been out in Dubai. Seven furlongs is his ideal trip as he has got great tactical speed, but there is nothing more for him over that distance.
“You could probably run him over six furlongs but we will most likely go the other way, stepping up in trip for the Zabeel Mile (February 26).
“This was William’s first winner for Godolphin in his new role and it was nice for him to get the monkey off his back.”
Buick, who was replacing apprentice Cam Hardie in the saddle for Thursday’s big win, was delighted and said: “You cannot help but be impressed with that.
“It was a great effort from the team who have handled him very well.”
The meeting, which was sponsored entirely by Gulf News and its various publications, opened with the Gulf News Sport Handicap over 1,200m on dirt, which saw Norwegian trainer Niels Petersen saddle his first Carnival winner after 73 misses.
The Irish-bred Beat Baby, who was returning to the Carnival for the third successive year, appeared to relish the dirt and made all the running under Per-Anders Graberg to record an impressive win.
“I’m so happy for Mr. Peteresen, he really deserved this,” said Graberg. “He’s done a great job keeping the horse fit and hungry and he also liked the surface.”
Petersen added: “It has been a long time coming. This horse was a very close second last year and it is just superb to get that winner on the board.
“He has really taken well to the Meydan dirt and it is a big result for the whole team and Scandinavia.”
There were also wins for UAE-based handlers Ali Rashid Al Raihe, Salem Bin Ghadayer and Satish Seemar.
Bin Ghadayer was celebrating a first UAE winner after stable jockey Mickael Barzalona drove Hunting Ground to win the gnproperty.com Handicap, a race that was not part of the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
