Godolphin Runners Dominate Carnival's Second Night

It was all Godolphin—almost all the time—in the second night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse Jan. 28 as Sheikh Mohammed's blue silks were home first in four of the five Thoroughbred races and filled the top six spots in one of them.

Taking a star turn even among her stablemates was Soft Whisper, a Dubawi filly who strode out to an effortless, seven-length victory in the UAE One Thousand Guineas Presented by Longines—her fourth straight win and a performance that sent jockey Frankie Dettori into flights of ecstasy.

Soft Whisper, bred by Godolpin from the Sea The Stars mare Placidia, ran 1,600 meters (about one mile) in 1:38.67 on the fast dirt track, tracking the early pace and then easily drawing off from the top of the stretch. The Doug Watson-trained pair of Mnasek and Super Chianti finished second and third, respectively, with Mnasek unable to overcome a bad start. 

Soft Whisper, a Saeed bin Suroor trainee, won her initial run at Meydan Racecourse Jan. 7 after closing out her 2-year-old campaign with victories in England at Salisbury and Pontefract.

"She has a bright future," Dettori said. "Saeed mentioned everything—Saudi (Derby), UAE Oaks (G3), UAE Derby (G2)—who knows? When you win so impressively, you get excited and you think of big plans.

"I was just saying to Saeed that the last time I won a race this easily was probably Dubai Millennium in 2000. It took me 21 years to find one just as easy," Dettori added.

Dettori piloted Dubai Millennium to eight wins, including a six-length score in the 2000 Dubai World Cup (G1) at the old Nad Al Sheba track.

Bin Suroor himself outlined even bigger plans.

"She is a big and strong filly. She is a filly for the future. I have a lot of confidence for her future. We have entered her in the (Longines) Kentucky Oaks (G1), also the European Classic races," Bin Suroor said. "She is a top-class filly, but the Classic races are hard to win, and we are hoping for the best."

Also on the second Carnival night, Althiqa could see all eight rivals midway around the turn in the Cape Verdi Presented by Longines (G2), but she commenced a rally well out on the track and dominated the stretch run despite drifting toward the rail and stacking up a pair of rivals inside the 200-meter mark. The 4-year-old Dark Angel filly won by 2 1/4 lengths, scoring her fourth win from eight starts. 

With James Doyle riding, the Godolphin homebred got 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) in 1:35.08. The international favorite, Summer Romance, faded from the lead to finish fifth.

Althiqa had not raced since finishing second to Foxtrot Lady in a group 3 event at Doncaster Sept. 9. The past three winners of the Cape Verdi have gone on to win the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 miles) Balanchine (G2) with this year's edition set for Feb. 18.

"She's galloped through the line very well today," Doyle said of Althiqa, "so I think since there isn't anything else for her it's worth a crack at going to the nine furlongs in the Balanchine where they might not go as quick as they were today."

Godolphin runners filled the first six positions in the Zabeel Turf Presented by Longines, with Kentucky-bred Ya Hayati at the front of the blue parade. The 4-year-old Dubawi gelding, with Mickael Barzalona up, emerged from the middle of the 15-strong field midway down the stretch, rallied outside rivals, and won by 1 1/4 lengths.

Bright Melody and Star Safari completed the top three, all trained by Charlie Appleby. The 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) went in 2:00.93 on good turf.

"I'm delighted with that," Appleby said, understandably. "We always thought it was quite competitive with all our horses going into tonight."

The only Thoroughbred event on the evening not won by Sheikh Mohammed's team was the Al Bastakiya Trial Presented by Longines for 3-year-olds on the dirt. Stud La Pomme's El Patriota, making his first start in the UAE, overcame the No. 14 gate, a wide trip, and a Southern Hemisphere weight penalty to win by two lengths.

Speight'spercomete, a Speightstown  colt trained by Doug Watson for owner/breeder Charles Fipke, was second.

"I'm very happy," said winning trainer Antonio Cintra. "The horse adapted very well to Dubai and he likes the track, which is the most important thing. I liked his race, and he ran very nice today. He was the top-rated in the race, but before the race is different from after the race. The Al Bastakiya is next." That's at the same 1,900 meters on Super Saturday, March 6.

Dettori closed out the night with a victory aboard Bedouin's Story, a 6-year-old Farhh gelding trained for Godolphin by bin Suroor, in the 1,600-meter Longines Spirit Collection Trophy. While the race wasn't the evening's feature, it was the most exciting with 12 of the 16 finishing with less than two lengths separating them and a dead heat for 10th and 11th into the bargain.

Bedouin's Story was making his first start since Oct. 5, 2019, at Ascot and won for just the fifth time in his 19th start.

"He likes big fields, and you have to confuse him a little bit, and I am being honest with you," Dettori said. "It worked out today."