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| March 31, 2003 | Monday | Muharram 27, 1424 |
Dettori rides Moon Ballad to splendid victory
DUBAI, March 30: Moon Ballad, ridden for Godolphin by Frankie Dettori, galloped to a brilliant five-length victory on Saturday in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, horse racing’s richest event.
Second place in the 11-strong field went to lone US raider Harlan’s Holiday, the mount of John Velazquez with hot favourite Nayef, ridden by Richard Hills, in third.
It was a third win on the night for Dettori who had earlier triumphed for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor in the Godolphin Mile and the Sheema Classic.
It was also the Italian’s second World Cup following Dubai Millennium in 2000. Godolphin, brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, have now won three of the last four World Cups and trainer bin Suroor four out of the last five.
Moon Ballad, 11-4 second favourite in London betting behind Nayef at 11-8, was always in the first two and once he took up the running early in the straight the colt waltzed away and won easily.
Harlan’s Holiday, 11-2 in betting in Britain, stayed on gamely and held on to second by a length from Nayef.
Moon Ballad’s victory brought back memories of Dubai Millennium who decimated his field three years ago to win by six lengths in record time.
The four-year-old raced home just over half a second slower but it was an awesome performance by a horse who is still improving.
That includes the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the United States in October for which Moon Ballad has already been installed 6-1 favourite by British bookmakers.
The colt finished third in last year’s Epsom Derby but then broke the track record at Goodwood and ran a good second in the Newmarket Champion Stakes. A six length success in a race at Nad Al Sheba last month had advertised his chances and Dettori deserted last year’s world series champion Grandera to partner Moon Ballad.
The ride on Grandera went to Jamie Spencer but the pair could do no better than fourth on Saturday, just over six lengths off the winner.
The World Cup was the final event at a seven-race meeting carrying total prize money of $15.25 million, making it the sport’s most valuable single day.
Others were in good form too, apart from the Godolphin-bin Suroor-Dettori axis.
Michael Hills in the Golden Shaheen and twin brother Richard in the event for Arabian purebreds both recorded valuable wins and South African trainer Mike de Kock landed a double with Victory Moon in the UAE Derby and Ipi Tombe in the Dubai Duty Free.
They were the first winners from South Africa and the southern hemisphere in the eight years of the World Cup meeting, although both have been stabled in Dubai this year.
The meeting went ahead without incident despite concerns over the war in Iraq.
Full results:
World Cup (2.0 km, dirt) (Group One):
1. Moon Ballad 11-4 (Frankie Dettori); 2. Harlan’s Holiday 11-2 (John Velazquez); 3. Nayef 11-8 favourite (Richard Hills).
11 ran.
Distances: five lengths, one length.
Winner owned by Godolphin and trained in Dubai by Saeed bin Suroor.
Value to winner: $3.6 million.
Dubai Duty Free (1.8 km, turf) (Group One):
1. Ipi Tombe evens favourite (Kevin Shea); 2. Paolini 9-1 (Andreas Suborics); 3. Royal Tryst 33-1 (Johnny Murtagh).
12 ran.
Distances: three lengths, one length.
Winner owned by Team valor and trained in Dubai and South Africa by Mike de Kock.
Value to winner $1.2 million
Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group One):
1. State City 25-1 (Michael Hills); 2. Avanzado 5-1 (Tyler Baze); 3. Captain Squire 5-2 favourite (Alex Solis).
12 ran.
Distances: three quarters of a length, one and three quarter lengths.
Winner trained in Dubai (correct) by Paddy Rudkin. Value to winner $1.2 million.
Dubai Sheema Classic (Group One):
1. Sulamani 6-4 favourite (Frankie Dettori); 2. Ange Gabriel 4-1 (Thierry Jarnet); 3. Ekraar 25-1 (Richard Hills).
16 ran.
Distances: three quarters of a length, three and a quarter lengths.
Winner owned by Godolphin and trained in Dubai by Saeed bin Suroor.
Value to winner: $1.2 million.
United Arab Emirates Derby (Group Two):
1. Victory Moon 7-1 (Wayne Smith); 2. Songlark 25-1 (Kerrin McEvoy); 3. Inamorato 4-5 favourite (Frankie Dettori).
14 ran.
Distances: half a length, two and three-quarter lengths.
Winner owned by Mad Syndicate (correct); trained in Dubai and South Africa by Mike de Kock.
Value to winner: $1.2 million.
Godolphin Mile (Group Two):
1. Firebreak 4-1 favourite (Frankie Dettori); 2. Grey Memo 9-2 (Kent Desormeaux); 3. Estimraar 25-1 (Wayne Smith).
16 ran.
Distances: three-quarters of a length, one length.
Winner owned by Godolphin and trained in Dubai by Saeed bin Suroor.
Value to winner $600,000.
Note: starting prices are those being used to settle bets in Britain. Betting is not allowed in Dubai.—Reuters
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