Rewilding wins Dubai Sheema Classic

Rewilding lived up to his favourite status with a near-perfect run in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) and helped Godolphin register the third win of the night.

Brilliantly ridden by Italian ace Lanfranco Dettori, Rewilding got back to winning ways after a disappointing 6th in the St Leger to give Godolphin's second trainer Mahmoud Al Zarouni his second Dubai World Cup meeting success in two years.

The four-year-old bay Tiger Hill colt, third in the Epson Derby to Workforce last June and a smart winner of a Group 2 race in York in August then disappointed in the St Leger.

In style

But after Godolphin won the Godolphin Mile and the UAE Derby earlier in the night, Dettori worked his way through the 14-horse field and then finished off the 12-furlong Turf contest in style.

Rewilding was running after 196 days but seemed to relish that long break and proved too good for his rivals on the Meydan Turf.

"I think the jockey did a great job tonight. This horse was racing for the first time after 196 days. But this happens to be his strength. He needed to be fresh and I only followed the instructions of the boss [His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai] to rest him and bring him fresh to this race. That is one of the reasons why we did not run him during the Carnival," said Al Zarouni. "You have to deal with him like a filly. Even in training we are easy with him. The Coronation Stakes may be the next target, but we have to still talk with Simon Crisford [Godolphin Racing manager] and the boss and take a final decision on his future.

"He's got a serious turn of foot and that came in handy tonight," said the Emirati handler, who also saw Calvados Blues under Ahmad Ajtebi finish third in the race behind Redwood.

Out of trouble

Dettori, who completed a double for the night, said, "The pace was a little stop and start rode him pretty much like a favourite stayed pretty much out of trouble. He had me a little bit in trouble at the beginning of the straight he got a little bit lazy on me but once we got into the straight and I gathered him we definitely went through the gears and in the end he pulled away from the others very exciting and he's a good horse.

"This win becomes all the more relevant as he comes off such a big lay-off," he added.
 

• Race 7. Dubai Sheema Classic, Sponsored by China Guangsha (Group 1)
• Purse: $5 million (Thoroughbreds) 2410m (a12F) Turf:
• Distance: Won by 3.25 lengths, 0.25L, 1.75L
• Winning time: 2:29.01
• Winner owned by Godolphin

RESULTS

— With inputs from Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter and Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter