Firebreak Facile Winner of Godolphin Mile

By Jason Ford
Godolphin's Firebreak, a 5-year-old son of Charnwood Forest, ran out a facile winner of the Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) on the Nad Al Sheba dirt Saturday night.

An excellent fifth on his previous appearance, in the Hong Kong Mile (HK-I) in December, Firebreak won this race last year also, but this year's renewal looked a lot stronger on paper.

Never far off the pace, Frankie Dettori's mount was always travelling well and once he hit the front two furlongs out the race was all over. The pair kicked away from their eight rivals to score in good style by 4 1/2 lengths.

Firebreak, who cost 27,000 guineas as a yearling at the Tattersalls October yearling Sale, later established a record when selling for 525,000gns Autumn Horses in Training Sale in 2001. Purchased by John Ferguson on the latter occasion, he had won the Mill Reef Stakes as a juvenile for Ian Balding and has never let Godolphin down in the best of company.

This was his seventh career win from 17 starts and Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford was delighted: "He won the race last year but this looked a far tougher ask. He goes really well fresh and looked good in the process. His European campaign was a bit disappointing last year but he is a very honest horse. He struggles in group one company but is a real tough character in this grade."

He is the second horse in the history of the Dubai World Cup meeting to score a second win -- following in the hoofprints of Caller One, the only previous horse to win the same race more than once on World Cup night.

Ireland's Tropical Star was second.

Doug O'Neill's Excessivepleasure, ridden by Jon Court, ran on for third, 2 3/4 lengths farther back, having been slowly away. Favorite During, from the Bob Baffert stable, disappointed at 2-1 after helping set the early pace, finishing sixth in the nine-horse field.