Dubai: Hunter’s Light, who brought up Godolphin’s landmark 220th Group 1 winner two seasons ago, once again sent out a reminder that he continues to be a genuine big-race contender when landing an ultra-competitive handicap at Meydan on Thursday night.
Ridden with confidence by James Doyle, the seven-year-old son of Dubawi looked very impressive physically as he finished a 1 1/4 length victory clear of Irish raider Elleval and the former French-trained Pilote.
It was a career 10th success from 25 starts for the Saeed Bin Surour trainee who even disputed favroutism for the 2013 Dubai World Cup (G1) before finishing seventh behind American-trained Animal Kingdom in the big race run on a synthetic surface.
Last year he was targetted at the Group 1 Dubai Turf (former Dubai Duty Free) with a repreat program lying in wait for the Godolphin galloper this season.
“He’s a classy horse who we have always thought very highly of and I’m very happy to see that he still has plenty of ability and fitness,” said Bin Surour.
“We’ll give him a break and then bring him back for the [Listed] Dubai Millennium Stakes [Feb 19] and after that perhaps look at the Dubai Turf once again.
“He’s a seven year old now and needs to be rested between races, but hopefully he can improve for this and who knows what will happen after that.”
Doyle, who was celebrating his third winner of the night aboard Hunter’s Light was equally impressed with his horse and said: “These races aren’t easy to win so when you have three winners on one day it is a nice feeling.
“I think Hunter’s Light is definitely capable of going back to Group-race company. He is a solid Group performer.
“The ability has always been there and hopefully today’s race will just sweeten him up a bit. Going back into a handicap will have given him some confidence and will make life a bit easier for him. Hopefully, he can build on this performance,” he said of the Godolphin trainee who has won in Britain, Italy, Turkey and the UAE.
One of the eye-catching runners on the night was the South African-trainer Vercingetorix, an authorotative winner of the featured Group 2 Al Rashidiya under Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon.
Despite this being only his first start since a creditable third place effort behind Designs On Rome and Military Attack in the Group 1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha tin, Hong Kong last April, the six-year-old looked none-the-worse as he strode out majestically to post a two-length victory over Bin Surour’s much-fancied True Story.
The winner was providing trainer Mike De Kock with a seventh success, and fourth on the trot, in the 1800m contest which is a reliable pointer to the Group 1 Dubai Turf.
“As well as he did last year we were always trying to catch up with him as he did not travel well from South Africa,” De Kock said.
“It is hard to know just how good he might be as he does the minimum in work at home and saves it for the track.
“He is undoubtedly a serious horse though.”
De Kock’s previous winner of the Al Rashidiya are Right Approach (2004), Wolf Whistle (2005), Silver Mist (2009), Musir (2012), The Apache (2013) and Mujaarib (2014).
UAE-based handler Doug Watson continued his strong season with a meet double courtesy One Man Band in the EGA Billet Trophy and Muaanid in the EGA Casthouse Trophy.
