State City blows his rivals away

The old motto of following a class horse through the summer break was seen to good effect at Nad Al Sheba race course as the progressive State City hit form with a vengeance to win the featured Sheikh Saeed House Trophy yesterday.

Suitable opportunities await the classy Carson City colt who is trained by Paddy Rudkin, including a shot at the $2 million Godolphin Mile as his long-term target. Despite not having race since he trailed in tenth behind Essence of Dubai in the UAE Derby last March, State City revelled in the prevailing conditions to record a compelling three and a half length victory over stablemate Mutamayyaz.

San Salavador produced a brave effort for apprentice Michael Hussey to finish a competitive third, three quarters of a length further back, with the third Rudkin runner Crystal Magician taking fourth place.

Pick Six favourite Conceal strayed all over the track under Greek-born rider Dimitris Mylonas to finish strongly in fifth place while last season's champion sprinter Conroy never settled and struggled home in sixth place.

Rudkin, who is not noted for his exuberance, commented on State City's performance: "I was a little worried about today as I really, really wanted a seven furlong race to start him off because I thought the others may just have a little too much speed for him but he proved me wrong. He showed plenty of speed and he got there easily."

Rudkin also revealed he was dreaming of having a runner at Dubai World Cup night on March 29.
"We'll now have to plan his races carefully, but one thing in my life is to have a horse ready for Dubai World Cup day and this year we have one," said the veteran schooler.

Michael Hills, who rode State City to win the UAE 2,000 Guineas in February, elaborated on the choice of running him in the six furlong contest.

"He's bred to sprint so we wanted to start him off at six just to see how could cope with those fast horses and he did more than I thought he would. I knew I'd finish strong but I was very impressed with him today. He was a little bit empty in the last furlong but he's still got to improve."

State City was the second leg of a winning double for Michael Hills after made all aboard the British-trained Steel Blue to win the Hatta Village Cup and give Newmarket trainer Richard Whitaker his second win of the season following the Purebred Arabian Bint Belady's victory at Abu Dhabi on December 1.

Steel Blue, a much-raced juvenile in England, lived up to expectations to post a fluent seven length victory over South African-bred National Emerald.

There was more to like about this performance considering he was running on dirt, and under lights for the first time in his career.

Simon Whitaker, representing his father Richard, who trains Steel Blue said: "We are absolutely delighted to have a winner here at Nad Al Sheba . I was a little apprehensive with this being his first run on dirt and the first time racing under the big lights but he handled it very well."

Reigning champion trainer sent out the surprise winner of the night in Djinn, who reversed his Abu Dhabi form to win the Mazrat Al Ruwayah Prep for Purebred Arabians.

The French-bred five-year-old ran particularly well to hold off late finishing Bopp Moon by three quarters of a length as the big favourite Khoutoubia, whose best form is on a faster surface, struggled home in third place.

Earlier Satish Seemar scored back-to-back wins with the South African-bred filly Akinfeet and Mr Sena, a graduate of the 2001 Pearls of Dubai International Sale.


Results:

1st race: DIVING VILLAGE CUP
Purse: Dh 55,000 - Thoroughbreds 2yo+ (8f Dirt)
1. Akinfeet (S Seemar) T durcan; 2. Blazeaway (M Johnston) K Dalgleish; 3. Charlie Says (C Wroe) W Ryan; 4. Mabrouk (P Rudkin) M Hills
Distances: 2.25L, Sh, Nose.
Winning time: 1:39.26 secs

2nd race: DUBAI MUSEUM TROPHY
Purse: Dh 70,000 - Thoroughbreds 3yo+, 40-70 (7.5 Dirt):
1. Mr Sena (S Seemar) A Whelan; 2. Wathbat Mujtahid (A Smith) P Smith; 3. Mr Magistrate (J Sadler) T Durcan; 4. Mumari (E Charpy) W Supple.
Distances: 0.5, 1.25, 0.75L.
Winning time: 1:31.58 secs.

3rd race: MAZRAT AL RUWAYAH PREP - DTCM TROPHY
Purse Dh 125,000 - Purebred Arabians 4yo+ (7.5f Dirt): 1. Djiin (E Charpy) S Sanders; 2. Bopp Moon (K McLaughlin) R Hills; 3. Khoutoubia (A Smith) G Hind; 4. Sousoff (J Bittar) S O'Gorman.
Distances: 0.75L, 3.25L, 5L.
Winning time: 1: 41.38 secs.

4th race: AL AHMADIYA SCHOOL CUP
Purse: Dh 75,000 - Thoroughbreds 3yo+ Limited Conditions (9f Dirt):
1. Opportunist (K McLaughlin) W Supple; 2. Alunite (K Mclaughlin) A McGlone; 3. Carnival Lad (A Selvaratnam) 4. Stentorian (P Rudkin) W Smith.
Distances: 2L, 6.25L, 7L.
Winning time: 1:50.47 secs.

5th race: HATTA VILLAGE CUP
Purse: Dh 100,000 - Thoroughbreds 2yo+ Conditions (6f Dirt):
1. Steel Blue (R Whitaker) M Hills; 2. National Emerald (S Seemar) t Durcan; 3. Vacacionado (DSelvaratnam) J Murtagh; 4. Maroc (A Selvaratnam) W Blandi.
Distances: 7L, 3.75L, 2.25L.
Winning time: 1:12.34.

6th race: SHEIKH SAEED HOUSE TROPHY
Purse: Dh 125,000 - Thoroughbreds 3yo+ Conditions (6f Dirt):
1. State City (P Rudkin) M Hills; 2. Mutamayyaz (P Rudkin) R Hills; 3. San Salvador (K McLaughlin) M Hussey; 4. Crystal Magician (P Rudkin) T Durcan.
Distances: 3.75L, 0.75L, 0.5L.
Winning time: 1:10.73 secs.

7th race: HERITAGE VILLAGE TROPHY
Purse: Dh 75,000 - Thoroughbreds 3yo+, 55-80 (12f):
1. Rajjaaf (P Rudkin) R Hills; 2. Dubai Vision (K McLaughlin) W Supple; 3. Deodatus (E Charpy) T Durcan; 4. Jamrr (M Al Kurdi) W Smith.
Distances: 1.75L, 1.5L, 3.5L.
Winning time: 2:32.92.