Imperial Emperor booked a place in the $12 million Dubai World Cup with a scintillating victory in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic at the Super Saturday meeting at Meydan.
The 2,000-metre race was one of five on a nine-race card that earned a guaranteed spot for the winners in the corresponding races at the Dubai World Cup meeting on April 5.
Drawn widest of the 15 runners over the Dubai World Cup track and trip, the Bhupat Seemar-trained Imperial Emperor stormed home eight-and-a-half lengths clear of stablemate Artorius and Korean raider Global Hit to scoop the featured Dh1.7 million prize on the night, sparking wild celebrations among the 14-member ownership syndicate.
The 12-time UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea had Imperial Emperor perfectly placed outside the leading group before drawing clear in turning home from the final bend.
“He's very genuine. I knew that we were going to go hard and sacrifice a bit of ground early to overcome a bit of a wide trip,” the Irishman O'Shea said of the former Godolphin inmate, purchased for Dh300,000 at the Racing in Dubai Sale.
“As soon as we started down the back straight, I was just able to get into a lovely rhythm with him.
“He's a very laid back horse. So you can light him up out of the gates and you don't have to worry about putting him back to sleep. I've only rode him three times and won all three of them, but I would say that's a career best for him.”
The trainer-jockey partnership celebrated a double on the night when Tuz created history by becoming the first horse to sweep the Listed Garhoud Sprint, Group 3 Dubawi Stakes, Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, and the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal all in the same season.
Seemar’s eight-year-old sprint star did it in his usual style, bolting up by five lengths from Japanese raider American Stage.
“He’s a streetfighter, he just keeps coming back – he’s like Muhammad Ali!” said the Zabeel Stables trainer. “He’s made history by becoming the first horse to win all the big dirt sprints. There will be some good sprinters here for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, but we have home turf.”
Godolphin trainer and jockey Charlie Appleby and William Buick swept all four turf prizes they had a runner in, including both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas for fillies and colts respectively.
Nations Pride bounced back from defeats in the Group 2 Bahrain Trophy and Group 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf to bag the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes.
“We came here confident that he was where he needed to be to win this race,” Appleby said of the four-time Group 1 winner.
“He had valid excuses for his last two defeats as he’s only ever run twice right handed around Bahrain and been beaten twice. Then at Gulfstream he had a torrid shipping, it took a long time to get there and conditions weren't really suitable.”
The trainer and jockey celebrated a second Group success on the night when Silver Knott charged home in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold.
The five year old had been campaigned at Group 1 level in the US and is likely to head back there later this season. He made no mistake here, leading all the way and beating Passion And Glory by two lengths, with British challenger See Hector third.
“Last season he spent most of the year in the States and we learnt that he is very effective from the front,” Buick said. “He is very professional and he has a good level of ability to go with it. I was delighted with that and hopefully he can improve from it.”
Mountain Breeze and Ruling Court completed Godolphin’s night by taking home both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.
“I think we were expecting that,” Buick said of the filly Mountain Breeze. “She’d only run over a mile once before and it didn’t really happen for her, so that was the only question mark.
“The important thing was for her to do it nice and smooth, and not to have to be asked. Hopefully this will set her up for a nice campaign back home.”
Buick unleashed Ruling Court in the straight to come home six lengths ahead of The Fingal Raven and Norwegian raider War Socks.
“In some ways I was quite pleased that he got beaten [in the Group 3 Acomb at York] because that meant we didn’t force him to do more than he was ready for,” Appleby said of the Justify colt.
“I’m very lucky in that I can put these horses away and allow them to develop. I think he’ll continue to develop and we will go back to Europe with a sharper model.
“I never want to get too excited in the immediate aftermath, but we anticipated him being a 10-furlong [2000m] horse, so whether we go to the Dante or take in the Guineas en route, we’ll see.”
