Proud Tower Too wins Golden Shaheen

Dubai: American speedballs extended their dominance of the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, sweeping the first four places in the glamour event at yesterday's Dubai World Cup meeting.

Proud Tower Too, who beat Breeder's Cup Sprint fourth Attila's Storm over seven furlongs in December, raced prominently and found the required acceleration to hold Thor's Echo by a length and a quarter at the line.

Jet West was the third American runner to cross the line, three quarters of a length further back with former Dubai Golden Shaheen third Captain Squire taking fourth place, a further half length back.

"This is the biggest race of my career and that's a lot of money." said 21-year-old David Cohen, who rode Proud Tower Too.

"I think I'm going to buy a lot of beans with the money. "This was the second Group 1 for him, and he did it very well. He's a serious racehorse with so much speed."

Cohen, who was a junior Olympian speedskater before he was introduced to racing by his father, rode a well-judged race, biding his time and producing Proud Tower Too inside the final furlong.

"This win means the world to me. I can't explain what I feel at this moment," added Cohen who rode his first ever-winner just two years ago.

"This horse is simply amazing. He's given me my first major Stakes win and now my first Group 1 win. You can't get any better than this."

Tropical Star, who was second behind Saratoga County in this race last year, finished best of the five UAE hopefuls in seventh place, while 3/1 favourite Heart Alone, was a disappointing 11th.

Heart Alone, a Group 1 winner in his native Brazil, made a favourable impression when beating UAE sprint veteran Conroy prior to being acquired by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid al Maktoum.

"He was not at his best, that was not the real horse," said trainer Esmael Mohammad. "He's capable of a much better effort."

American horses have won five of the past six runnings of the Dubai Golden Shaheen and five Stateside runners were in the fray here for the $2 million purse. Five of them raced predominately at the front of the 15-horse field but evidence to the outcome of the race remained inconclusive until the final furlong.

Proud Tower Too, racing in the middle of the track, sprinted clear and had enough in the tank to hold off his fellow-American hopeful Thor's Echo.

Cohen felt the early speed contributed to his horse's winning performance.