Godolphin Stars Look Tough in Al Quoz Sprint

The Godolphin home team holds a strong hand with four of the 14 entrants, including two or three likely favorites, in a well-matched field for the March 26 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) at Meydan Racecourse.

The 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) is the turf bookend to the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) at the same distance on the dirt but with a more international cast. In addition to the United Arab Emirates, France, Japan, Ireland, England, Qatar, and the United Stakes all are represented.

Godolphin's main hopes are Creative Force  and Naval Crown , both 4-year-old Dubawi  geldings, and Man of Promise , a 5-year-old Into Mischief   gelding, all trained by Charlie Appleby.

Creative Force makes his first start since a victory in the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes (G1) at Ascot Oct. 16 with James Doyle aboard from post 9.

Naval Crown exits a disappointing performance in the 1351 Turf Sprint Presented by stc (G3) in Saudi Arabia, where he gunned to the lead from an outside draw, then faded to finish 11th. Frankie Dettori, who had a relatively quiet time of things during this year's World Cup Carnival, will start Naval Crown from post 2.

Appleby gives William Buick a leg up on Man of Promise, who won his first two starts of the season at Meydan, most recently the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint Sponsored by Emirates Sky Cargo (G3T) on Super Saturday. Mutafawwig , a 6-year-old Oasis Dream  gelding trained by Saeed bin Suroor, completes the Godolphin quartet.

Appleby was having trouble ranking the contenders in his own mind as he spoke during the inaugural Dubai Breeze-Up Sale March 22.

"Creative Force traveled over well 10 days ago and we worked him on Saturday. We were very happy with what we saw," Appleby said. "His European campaign is hopefully set for him and it's hard to say that he's playing fiddle behind Man of Promise, because at the end of the day Man of Promise has done what he's achieved but Creative Force is a multiple group winner and a group 1 winner.

"He's probably the class horse in the race, realistically," Appleby said of Creative Force. "But the other little horse has got the home advantage having been here over the winter, and he's proven on the track."

Naval Crown, the trainer added, "just hit the lids a bit" in the Saudi Race. "But he showed a lot of natural pace that day, and he has done that throughout his career to date. In a way, this is more of a fact-finding mission as to how we pitch him through the summer. I'm confident he'll run a big race on what we've seen at home. But, like I say, it is a fact-finding mission."

The Al Quoz field also includes the second—and third-place finishers from the 1351 Turf Sprint in Riyadh—the Bill Mott-trained Casa Creed  and Happy Romance  from Richard Hannon's yard.

Casa Creed, a 6-year-old by Jimmy Creed  , won the Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park last June but came to the Middle East off an eighth-place showing in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) at Del Mar in November. His previous best was a victory in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course in 2019.

Trainer Mark Casse brings graded winner Get Smokin  to the Al Quoz off a second-place finish in his 2022 debut in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.