An evenly matched field of 14 sprinters will face the starter in the $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-III) at Meydan Racecourse Feb. 3. The Al Shindagha, along with the listed UAE 1000 Guineas, highlights the seventh night of racing in the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Trainer Steven Burridge sends out Captain Obvious, who enters the Al Shindagha sporting a three-race winning streak. The gelded son of Verglas zipped to a three-quarter length victory in a six-furlong allowance race in his Meydan debut Jan 20. Prior to that start, the 7-year-old gray won two sprint handicaps at his home base in Singapore. Captain Obvious boasts a record of 14 wins from 22 starts, and has finished in the money 18 times.
Oscar Chavez, who rode Captain Obvious to victory last week, will once again be aboard.
Addictive Dream enters the race with a chance to add yet another victory to the two that he has notched already at the race meet. Both races were contested over the turf course, but the 5-year-old gelding has won twice over an all-weather surface earlier in his career. The biggest question with Addictive Dream is class, since he will be making the leap from the handicap ranks into graded stakes company for the first time. Adrian Nicholls, son of trainer David "Dandy" Nicholls, will ride.
Rerouted will be making his first start for new trainer Mike de Kock. The 4-year-old colt by Stormy Atlantic was previously trained by Barry Hills for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farm. A group III winner as a juvenile, Rerouted was often used to set the pace for Frankel throughout his 3-year-old season. Last fall, Rerouted was consigned by Juddmonte Farm to the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training sale, where he was purchased for $92,000 by Form Bloodstock.
Christophe Soumillon will be in the irons.
Krypton Factor will be making his third start in 12 days for owner/trainer Fawzi Abdulla Nass. The 4-year-old gelding finished second in a one-mile turf handicap on Jan. 21 in his seasonal debut. Five days later, he cruised home an easy winner of a six-furlong handicap over the all-weather course. Kieren Fallon will once again ride.
Nass will also send out Critical Moment, a 5-year-old horse by Aptitude who is a half-brother to Rerouted. Like his younger half-sibling, Critical Moment was trained by Barry Hills for owner Juddmonte Farm, and went through the 2011 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training sale, where he sold for $92,000. Ted Durcan will be aboard.
Gamilati Headlines UAE 1000 Guineas
Earlier on the card, the top three finishers from the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Sponsored by Longines will once again do battle in the listed $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas Sponsored by Gulf News.
A field of seven fillies will go to the post, with trainer Mahmood al Zarooni sending out the likely favorite, Gamilati. The daughter of Bernardini drew off to an impressive 2 3/4-length victory over Alsindi in the Guineas Trial in her first start at Meydan. The bay filly, who won the Cherry Hinton Stakes (Eng-II) last year, sports a record of two wins from five lifetime starts. Frankie Dettori will ride.
Al Zarooni will also saddle Pimpernel, winner of the listed Totepool Radley Stakes at Newbury last fall. Prior to that, the daughter of Invincible Spirit finished a good second in the Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes (Eng-II). Mickael Barzalona will be in the irons.
Alsindi will be looking to turn the tables on Gamilati this time around. The Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained daughter of Acclamation won the Oh So Sharp Stakes (Eng-III) last season for trainer Clive Brittain. Royston Ffrench will once again be aboard.
$200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-III, race 5, 8:25 a.m. EST), 3yos (SH-bred) & up, 6 furlongs, (Tapeta).
PP, Horse, Wgt., Jockey, Trainer
1. Jimmy Styles (GB), 126, J. Doyle, C. Cox
2. Alo Pura (GB), 121, W. Buick, D. Selvaratnam
3. Krypton Factor (GB), 126, K. Fallon, F. Nass
4. Addictive Dream (Ire), 126, A. Nicholls, D. Nicholls
5. Dohasa (Ire), 126, A. Murgia, I. Mohammed
6. Mujaazef (GB), 126, R. Hills, A. Al Raihe
7. Angel’s Pursuit (Ire), 126, C. O’Donoghue, D. Marnane
8. Sir Reginald (GB), 126, P. Hanagan, R. Fahey
9. Hitchens (Ire), 126, S. De Sousa, T.D. Barron
10. Critical Moment (KY), 126, T. Durcan, F. Nass
11. Captain Obvious (Aus), 128, O. Chavez, S. Burridge
12. Rerouted (KY), 126, C. Soumillon, M. de Kock
13. Seachantach (KY), 126, R. Mullen, S. Seemar
14. Hajoum (Ire), 126, R. Ffrench, A. Al Raihe
$250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas Sponsored by Gulf News (listed, race 3, 7:10 a.m. EST), fillies, 3yo (NH-bred) & 4yo (SH-bred), 8 furlongs (Tapeta).
PP, Wgt., Jockey, Trainer
1. Bonne Idee (Fr), 121, T. Durcan, E. Charpy
2. Alsindi (Ire), 121, R. Ffrench, A. Al Raihe
3. Moon Spun (SAf), 131, R. Moore, H. Brown
4. Colorful Notion (Ire), 121, M. Demuro, M. Botti
5. Mary Fildes (Ire), 121, J. Doyle, J.S. Moore
6. Gamilati (GB), 121, L. Dettori, M. Al Zarooni
7. Pimpernel (Ire), 121, M. Barzalona, M. Al Zarooni
