Appleby warms up for Carnival with 2000 Guineas Trial win; doubles for Godolphin and Bin Ghadayer

Duane Fonseca

Dubai: Charlie Appleby warmed up for another brilliant Dubai winter by landing the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial, the feature race of Meydan’s Thursday night card.

The 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival gets underway next Thursday and Appleby, who has

Rebel's Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, holds on to win the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial ahead of Mouheeb at Meydan Thursday night (ERA)

led the trainers charts over the past seasons, showed he has his house in top order by hitting the ground running and opening his account with his first dispatch of the season.

A 3yo Dubawi gelding Rebel’s Romance ridden by William Buick was nearly caught on the line after he started to idle towards the end, but his rider seemed to have done enough to hold off Nicholas Bachalard’s fast finishing Mouheeb ridden by Ryan Curatolo. The latter were a head back in second while Ahmad bin Harmash’s Sharp Spun was a further seven lengths adrift in the hands of Fernando Jara. It was a third straight victory for Rebel’s Romance, who was debuting in the UAE after two victories gained on the British all weather at Newcastle and then Kempton.

Godolphin might have landed the feature but they were denied victory in the Dubai Trophy, a Conditions sprint on turf over 1200m, by Satish Seemar’s Topper Bill, who ceded the lead to the Saeed bin Suroor schooled First Smile 300m out but then dug deep under Richard Mullen to find that extra needed to regain the lead 25m out and win by a length.

On Top of his game: Seemar's Topper Bill driven by Richard Mullen snatched victory at the end from First Smile (ERA)

First Smile ridden by Pat Cosgrave took second, while Dignity Joy was third for Musabbeh Al Mheiri under Antonio Fresu a further two and a quarter in arrears.

Emirati handler Salem bin Ghadayer landed a double on the card to replace compatriot Ali Rashid Al Rayhi at the top of the UAE Trainers’ Championship table.

Bin Ghadayer saddled 1-2s in both races. First, Meshakel, bred by him, won the card opening 1400m maiden by a massive seven lengths under Royston Ffrench from stable companion Rare Ninja with Mickael Barzalona up, and then after he was pegged back by Al Rayhi, for whom Gervais won the ensuing 1400m handicap under Connor Beasley, Bin Ghadayer struck for a second time as Firnas romped to a three and a quarter length victory in the 1900m handicap under Ffrench, with Barzalona again riding the runner up in Mkfancy.

Barzalona was denied twice on the night but the Frenchman would close for the day with victory in the card ending 1400m turf handicap with Ismail Mohammed’s Wasim, who won by a length from Al Rayhi’s Yaalail.

The longest race of the night was one of three turf races on the card and saw Bin Suroor triumphing with the Cosgrave ridden Global Heat, who won the 2410m handicap by a comfortable three and a half length margin from Bin Ghadayer’s Miracle Maker, who was ridden by Xavier Ziani.

Gervais (ERA)

Firnas (ERA)

Global Heat (ERA)

Meshakel (ERA)