Dubai: After the huge success on first of the two-day Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend, Godolphin scored an emphatic victory in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Maiden Fillies Stakes with homebred three-year-old filly Life Of Dreams on the feature of the eight-card meeting at Newbury Racecourse on Sunday.
The victory promoted the Dubawi daughter towards the head of the leading fancies for the Epsom Oaks. Alex Merriam, representing Godolphin’s trainer Charlie Appleby, explained that Life Of Dreams had been given time to develop and she had done what it was hoped she would — make a winning debut — and continuing Godolphin’s astonishing success rate.
Debut show
In the previous race the yellow colours of Major General Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security, were carried to victory by Razeyna in the seven-furlong Coln Valley Stud Maiden Fillies Stakes. She was a debutante too, for trainer William Haggas, whose wife Maureen is the daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott, did the honours by saddling the winner and then collecting the prize.
The ten-furlong £16,000 Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup EBF Conditions Stakes attracted a small but select field of three-year-olds for which Godolphin provided first and second favourites — both sons of Godolphin stallion Dubawi.
Walk Of Stars, homebred and the mount of James Doyle, won by a neck from £2.1m purchase Hafit, William Buick aboard. Both colts are still in the Derby and there may be a rematch in York’s Derby Trial, the Dante Stakes, said Merriam.
After a succession of short-priced winners the seventh race, the £25,000 Dubai Duty Free Handicap over the minimum five furlongs, produced the shock of the meeting. Blue De Vega, the 50-1 outsider and at nine the oldest of the seven runners, got up in the final strides to head another outsider Mountain Peak.
The concluding race of the meeting, seven-furlong £20,000 Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Handicap for three-year-olds, saw unbeaten Whoputfiftyinyou, trained by Clive Cox, retain his unbeaten status, cutting down Godolphin’s Private Signal.
Five winners over two days
With five winners over the two days Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby’s record at the opening meeting of the Berkshire course’s Flat season was nothing short of astonishing.
Colm McLoughlin, Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, said: “It has been a great pleasure to return to Newbury and welcome our guests to another hugely successful edition of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend.
“We extend our thanks to Newbury’s CEO, Julian Thick, and his team for delivering an outstanding event and to the owners and trainers who continue to support this important trials meeting. We look forward to following their progress as the Flat season unfolds.”
Also present at the meeting were Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice-President — Corporate Services, and Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice-President — Marketing, along with many of the crowd that returned on Sunday to enjoy the same sparkling spring sunshine, exciting racing and a host of family activities.
