Moon shines in World Cup prep
Victory Moon advertised his strong claims for the Dubai World Cup in three weeks’ time with a superb victory in the big race at Nad Al Sheba’s ‘Super Saturday’ meeting yesterday.
The South African star looked to be in all sorts of trouble in the third round of the Group Two Maktoum Challenge over the World Cup course and distance when he was blocked in as Dinyeper and Naheef made the best of their way home.
But when Weichong Marwing extricated Victory Moon and brought him to the outside to put in a challenge, the response was immediate and the five-year-old surged past his rivals for an emphatic success.
Turkish challenger Dinyeper ran on well to oust Godolphin’s Naheef (Frankie Dettori) from second place.
Marwing said: “He picked up really well. He jumped well and travelled, which he never does, and was going so well throughout the race.
“There was no room in the straight and I just had to wait and wait, but when the gap opened he was immense and devoured the ground. That was a great effort.”
Trainer Mike De Kock added: “Everything went wrong during the race. It was slowly run, which really did not suit, but he has done it well when the gap opened.
“We have to be very pleased with that, but the race will have to be run to suit on the big night compared to this.”
It was a great night for the South African trainer, who also sent out Surveyor to prevail in a thrilling finish with Vespone in the Group Three Jebel Hatta Stakes.
In a titanic struggle, Marwing sent Surveyor past Vespone and looked to have settled the issue, but Dettori’s mount fought back gamely in the Godolphin colours and the pair flashed past the post together.
Surveyor won by the narrowest of margins.
Dettori said: “The turning track suited Vespone much more than the straight at Newmarket last time (when last in the Champion Stakes on his Godolphin debut). At least he showed that to be all wrong.”
Dettori did have a winner when the Adi Selvaratnam-trained Conroy landed the Group Three Mahab Al Shimaal Stakes over six furlongs for the third consecutive time.
Ryan Moore landed his third feature race of the Dubai International Carnival when Mazin Al Kurdi’s Cherry Pickings ran out an easy winner of the Listed Burj Nahaar Stakes over a mile.
Willie Supple was seen at his best on Jerry Barton’s Saudi Arabian challenger Petit Paris in the nine-furlong Al Bastikiya Stakes.
Nobody wanted to make the running, so Supple took his Chilean-bred mount to the front and never saw another rival as Petit Paris reversed UAE 2000 Guineas form with Little Jim, who could do no better than third.
French raider Fair Mix was an impressive winner of the Group Three Dubai City Of Gold Stakes over 12 furlongs on turf under Olivier Peslier.
The six-year-old could not have run a better trial for the Sheema Classic on the big night and clearly impressed his jockey, who said: “I knew I was on the class horse in the race and we were always travelling well. He has done it in good style.”
