Dubai: Every season, horses begin their campaigns from either under the radar or outside of big race aspirations but aspire to grab the first opportunity to trumpet themselves as legitimate contenders for the major prizes that lie ahead.
In Thursday night’s opening meeting of the 2014 Dubai World Cup Carnival, Godolphin’s Shuruq emerged as a legitimate big-race hopeful when posting an imperious victory in round one of the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge — one of many electrifying races that unfolded at Dubai’s iconic Meydan Racecourse.
Judged on the strength of her three-quarter length and short-head victory over Empire Storm and Brendan Brackan respectively, it appears the four-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality has the potential to make a name for herself in the 11-meeting Carnival.
Shuruq’s trainer Saeed Bin Surour says his filly can improve further. “Shuruq is a very tough filly and won the UAE Oaks and 1,000 Guineas trial last season,” he said. “There is no definite plan but she could go for the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge [February 6]. She handles Tapeta very well.
“We took her to England last summer but she never showed anything in her work and so we decided to bring her back to Dubai. She has looked better here though she was probably only 80 per cent fit and she will improve a lot, both physically and mentally.
“She has run against the colts and beaten them today and, while the mile was a good distance for her, I think a mile-and-a-quarter will be even better.”
Surour, who was notching an eighth success in round one of the Al Maktoum Challenge, also won the second and third rounds of the series last season with Hunter’s Light, a horse that progressed to becoming his principal Dubai World Cup contender, finishing seventh behind Animal Kingdom.
Silvestre de Sousa, who was opening his 2014 Carnival account aboard the filly, was also impressed. “She is a lovely filly and one we think is improving,” said the Brazilian. “I was always pretty happy as I knew we would find a big effort when I asked her and she was running on strongly.
“She loves this surface and has once again thrived in the Dubai weather.”
Shuruq’s victory capped a fruitful evening for the Godolphin stable, who won three of the seven races on the card, with first-time Carnival trainer Charlie Appleby helping himself to a double thanks to the victories of Ahtoug and Fulbright. Both benefitted from outstanding rides by Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Mickael Barzalona.
“It has been a great start to the Dubai World Cup Carnival and the horses are in rude health at the moment,” Appleby said.
“We were very happy with Ahtoug’s preparation and were confident that he would run a nice race. I think that he will possibly be better on Tapeta but we will cross that bridge when we come to it and mark out a sprint campaign in due course for the rest of the Dubai World Cup Carnival.”
South African handler Mike de Kock, who is only surpassed by Bin Surour in terms of overall Carnival successes, also picked up an opening night double courtesy of Mushreq in the Listed Singspiel Stakes on the turf and Anaerobio, who won the concluding 1400m turf handicap under Christophe Soumillon, who said: “It is always nice to get that first winner on the board.
“I had some nice rides tonight, but some of the horses have needed the run. Mike’s had two winners tonight so it’s great to know that the team is going well at this stage in the season.”
Emirati handler Ahmad Bin Harmash claimed his first Dubai World Cup Carnival race success when Busker won the 1900m all-weather handicap.
