Benbatl leads Al Rashidiya challenge

Impressive G3 Singspiel Stakes winner Benbatl heads another strong Godolphin team for week four of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, 1 February. 

Benbatl (Saeed bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy) features among three Godolphin contenders for the nine-furlong G2 Al Rashidiya on turf. The four-year-old Dubawi colt ran on strongly to beat Emotionless by two and a quarter lengths in the Singspiel Stakes over the same course and distance on Thursday, 11 January. 

Four-year-old Bay Of Poets (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle), a Listed winner over nine furlongs in France last year, re-opposes Benbatl after staying on well to finish sixth on his seasonal return in the Singspiel Stakes. 

Six-year-old Bravo Zolo (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) captured a mile Listed race at Newmarket in November and makes his second appearance of the 2018 Carnival after going down by a length and a half to D’bai in a seven-furlong turf handicap earlier in January. 

Saeed bin Suroor commented: “I was pleased with Benbatl’s victory in the Singspiel Stakes three weeks ago and his latest piece of work went well. This looks to be another nice race for him and he is in good form at the moment.”

Charlie Appleby said: “Bay Of Poets was drawn out wide in the Singspiel Stakes and had to make up a lot of ground to get into a position. He was doing his best work at the end and I am hoping that a repeat performance will put him thereabouts.

“I was delighted with Bravo Zolo’s first start in Dubai and he came out of that race well. We are stepping up two furlongs but I think the distance will be comfortably within his reach as he has won over a similar distance before, albeit at a lesser level.”

A field of seven is due to line up in the Al Rashidiya, with South African G1 victor Al Sahem and last season’s runner-up Light The Lights set to provide the main opposition. 

Thursday’s other turf feature is the G2 Al Fahidi Fort over seven furlongs, which features a trio of Godolphin runners including D’bai (Charlie Appleby/William Buick, drawn two), a four-year-old son of Dubawi, who steps up in class following his decisive handicap victory over Bravo Zolo three weeks ago. 

Jungle Cat (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle, drawn six) has finished fourth in the last two renewals of the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (6f) on Dubai World Cup Night and the six-year-old Iffraaj horse produced several excellent efforts over seven furlongs in Europe last season, including a five-length success in a Haydock Park conditions race. 

The pair are joined by last season’s G1 2,000 Guineas fifth Dream Castle (Saeed bin Suroor/Pat Cosgrave, drawn five), who drops down in trip after coming home seventh behind Salsabeel in a turf handicap over a mile at Meydan on Thursday, 18 January. 

The nine runners for the Al Fahidi Fort also feature the 2017 winner Championship and Noah From Goa, who were first and second in last year’s G2 Zabeel Mile. 

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dream Castle was disappointing on his first start of the year but he needed the race. The drop back to seven furlongs should suit as he shows plenty of speed.”

Charlie Appleby reported: “D’bai put up a very good performance on his first start of the year, when he broke the track record, and has come out of that race very well. 

“He has a similar profile to Safety Check, who won this race for us in 2015, in that he has thrived out in Dubai.

“Jungle Cat is a veteran out in Dubai and I think the step up to seven furlongs last year suited him. His home work has been good and he is player in this race based on his best form.”

Elsewhere on Thursday’s card, Wokingham Stakes runner-up Steady Pace (Christophe Soumillion), who was seventh behind D’bai and Bravo Zolo on 11 January, and five-time All-Weather scorer Dubai One (Oisin Murphy) represent Saeed bin Suroor in a turf handicap over six furlongs. 

Gold Star (Saeed bin Suroor/Christophe Soumillon), who went down by a nose in a 12-furlong turf handicap on 11 January, runs in another handicap over the same course and distance. 

Huge Future (Saeed bin Suroor/Gerald Mosse) goes for the same race along with the Charlie Appleby-trained pair of Eynhallow (Mickael Barzalona) and Walton Street (William Buick). 

Four-year-old Boynton (Charlie Appleby/William Buick), successful in the G2 Superlative Stakes on turf as a juvenile, makes his first appearance on dirt in a mile handicap.